First time on Celebrity Help Please

[Salf777]

Hi

We booked a sailing on Celebrity Beyond for January. The is our first time sailing on Celebrity usually do NCL in the Haven. We are doing the Retreat on Celebrity

Having never sailed Celebrity which specialty restaurants are a must do?

When can we begin booking the restaurants?

Any other tips you can give us is appreciated

[upwarduk]

Go to your online account and you will probably see some first night reductions. 
We never book the Speciality restaurants. We find the MDR more tha adequate and as I am Dairy Intolerant, I am not going to pay extra for food that I cannot eat.

[39august]

I think you should try your suite assigned dining room, Luminae, before deciding on speicialty dining. Or at least limit your pre-cruise bookings to just a couple of nights in specialty. Luminae is very good. 

[bama4cruisin]

While we’ve not sailed on Beyond yet (booked for October), we were on Apex last fall for 14 nights.  Eden was AMAZING!  We also had an excellent meal and service in Fine Cut.

 

I would suggest you look at the menus on the app.  While your cruise isn’t yet on the app, the menus will be the same.  Just select a current cruise on Beyond and check the

menus.

Eden

Pan-Roasted Carabinero Shrimp  (starter)

 

Filet Mignon and Mini Shortrib Wellington

 

 Meyer Lemon Tartlet

 

 

The After dessert sampler

 

 

Fine Cut

 

 

Surf and Turf (filet and lobster tail) - not on the menu, but offered by our server

 

 

Double Chocolate Brownie

 

 

Apple Walnut Cobbler

 

[Salf777]

Yes we are planning on eating in Luminae but also received quite a bit of onboard credit so figured a few specialty restaurants!

[graphicguy]

Have sailed both Haven and Retreat.  Lots of similarities.  I like Celebrity’s Personal Retreat Host (PRH) over the Haven’s Butler.  The PRH does everything the Haven Butler does, and also acts as a Concierge, too.  But, I prefer the Haven’s Concierges over the ones in the Retreat.  The Haven’s Concierges seem to pull rabbits out of hats when getting you into venues that are totally and fully  booked (like specialty restaurants).

 

EDEN is the specialty restaurant I would consider “must do” on Celebrity.

 

I liked Luminae.  Service was sometimes spotty.  Not bad, just slower and sometimes less atttentive than the Haven restaurant.  But, Luminae’s menu changes for dinner every evening, whereas the Haven restaurant’s menus is static.

[jelayne]

We suggest Eden.  We will be on the Beyond in October and have booked Le Voyage  It is a new specialty restaurant and while there are not a lot of reviews the feedback I have read has been very good.

[Salf777]

Thanks How far in advance can you book specialty dining

[bama4cruisin]

13 minutes ago, Salf777 said:

Thanks How far in advance can you book specialty dining

Ours for this October have been booked for several months.  You should be able to book now.  Go to the website, then to your reservation and Manage Your Reservation.  Under the cruise planner you should find the dining options.

[deliver42]

We're on the Beyond in December, and have had our dinner reservations made months ago, both the 4 free restaurants and the 2 specialty restaurants, using our OBC. The only problem I have is when to book my wife's salon for formal night, or whatever they call it now. Usually it's on the 2nd night, but that's after Nassau. The 3rd day is a sea day. The salon is $10.00 more the third day, and I don't know if that means anything. Sorry if I hijacked the thread.

[Surfguyxxx]

3 hours ago, bama4cruisin said:

Pan-Roasted Carabinero Shrimp  (starter)

Filet Mignon and Mini Shortrib Wellington

Meyer Lemon Tartlet

The After dessert sampler

Fine Cut

Surf and Turf (filet and lobster tail) - not on the menu, but offered by our server

Double Chocolate Brownie

 

 

 

WOW; those pictures looked incredible.  I can't wait to try them all 😋

[MISTER 67]

5 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Go to your online account and you will probably see some first night reductions. 
We never book the Speciality restaurants. We find the MDR more tha adequate and as I am Dairy Intolerant, I am not going to pay extra for food that I cannot eat.

I agree on the MDR, we were on the Equinox for the 6.12.22 sailing and every meal in the MDR was excellent as was all our breakfasts and lunches in the Oceanview buffet.

[Tyler414]

I would highly recommend Eden and book it now, it will be sold out by the time you get on the ship.

[Salf777]

Does anyone know where I can find the menus for the different restaurants? I can’t seem to find them on Celebrity website for the Beyond

[bama4cruisin]

Just now, Salf777 said:

Does anyone know where I can find the menus for the different restaurants? I can’t seem to find them on Celebrity website for the Beyond

Have you downloaded the Celebrity app?  If not, do so!  While your cruise will not yet be on the app, the Beyond is.  Just select one of the cruises currently available, then Dining, then you’ll see options for the MDR’s (Luminae is in this option), Restaurants (those are specialty), bars, etc.

 

 

[Salf777]

Thanks and sorry to be asking so many questions 

if I want to eat in MDR apparently there are 4 of them, do you have to make a reservation for any of those for example if I wanted Italian do I reserve that or just show up at my dining time?

[bama4cruisin]

13 minutes ago, Salf777 said:

Thanks and sorry to be asking so many questions 

if I want to eat in MDR apparently there are 4 of them, do you have to make a reservation for any of those for example if I wanted Italian do I reserve that or just show up at my dining time?

Since you are in a suite, Luminae is your designated dining room.  However, if you ask the. Aitre d’ in Luminae to arrange for you to dine in one of the 4 MDR’s the next night, they should be able to do so.  When we were on Apex last fall, it was not an issue at all; however, we had about 40% passenger load.  As the ships more closer to capacity, it will probably be best to arrange in advance.

 

You may already be familiar with the menus in the 4 MDR’s, but in case you’re not, each has their own “theme” for want of a better word.  That impacts decor and a small portion of the menu.  Each has three sections to their menus.  There is the section of “Celebrity Classics”, which are the items available every night (such as French Onion soup, escargot, Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, a chicken breast, a steak, salmon, chocolate cake, cheesecake, apple pie, and various ice creams);  this section of the menu is the same in all 4 and does not change.  There is also the “Celebrity Signature” items; this section is the same in all 4 dining rooms, but is the rotating menu that changes each night.  The final section is the “Exclusives”, the section unique to each of those dining rooms; there are 3 starters, 3 entrees and one dessert.  Again, these are unique to that dining room, but they do not change.  Hope this is helpful.

[scrapcreator]

Just off of the Beyond and I'd recommend Eden. The food and service was fabulous!

[mk960072]

11 hours ago, 39august said:

I think you should try your suite assigned dining room, Luminae, before deciding on speicialty dining. Or at least limit your pre-cruise bookings to just a couple of nights in specialty. Luminae is very good. 

we sailed the Edge in july 2021 in a suite and loved Luminae.  We did eat at the steakhouse speciality restaurant and it was okay.  We also dined at Raw on Five and really like it.  The rest of the time we ate in Luminae as it was soooo good.

[mk960072]

6 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

I agree on the MDR, we were on the Equinox for the 6.12.22 sailing and every meal in the MDR was excellent as was all our breakfasts and lunches in the Oceanview buffet.

if staying in a suite why eat in the MDR?  You pay to have access to Luminae and they have their own dedicated kitchen for that restaurant, menu items you cannot get elsewhere outside of Luminae and a higher quality of food is served in Luminae.  So why pay all that money to eat in MDR?

 

[Cap_D]

3 hours ago, mk960072 said:

if staying in a suite why eat in the MDR?  You pay to have access to Luminae and they have their own dedicated kitchen for that restaurant, menu items you cannot get elsewhere outside of Luminae and a higher quality of food is served in Luminae.  So why pay all that money to eat in MDR?

 

Agree with above poster. Also eventually the Luminae menu cycles through dishes with the same or similar items as the MDRs and elsewhere just fancied up and more likely to be cooked to order or prepared to your specification or special order.  Also, don't be shy about letting your waiter and maitre d know your preferences, including off menu likes or dislikes. I suspect the MDR team would also be accommodating, but think of the Luminae team as being able to access and address anything. E.g., our toddler desired fresh veggies each evening, and that was anticipated after the first night.  Same for our desire for some extra veggies on the table, and espressos. 

[Salf777]

Thanks all but as I said I am new to Celebrity and first time cruising so I didn’t realize about Luminae and thought we go to the others

[MISTER 67]

6 hours ago, mk960072 said:

if staying in a suite why eat in the MDR?  You pay to have access to Luminae and they have their own dedicated kitchen for that restaurant, menu items you cannot get elsewhere outside of Luminae and a higher quality of food is served in Luminae.  So why pay all that money to eat in MDR?

 

Well I agree on that but we just had a standard verandah cabin so we were happy with the food in the MDR. 

[graphicguy]

4 hours ago, Salf777 said:

Thanks all but as I said I am new to Celebrity and first time cruising so I didn’t realize about Luminae and thought we go to the others

You can go to any MDR on the ship.  Personally, I recommend you do so.  Luminae is good.  But, so are the other MDR dining venues.  Don’t feel like you’re tied to dining in Luminae.  

 

I have sailed the other “E” class ships (Edge/Apex)…..all in the Retreat.  Like the Beyond, there are so many other dining venues outside of Luminae.  it would be a shame not to at least try them.

 

There are other MDRs….all as good as Luminae.

 

Not sure about Beyond, but the other EDGE class MDRs…

 

Cyprus—Greek/Mediterranean

Normandie-French

Cosmopolitan-American

 

 

Loved Tuscan Grill and EDEN was over the top in food, service ambiance and location (aft, overlooking the ship’s wake).

 

Raw on 5 was good.  Worth an extra charge?  I think some would debate that (including me).

 

Hope that helps.

Edited June 29, 2022 by graphicguy

[Cap_D]

We'd add that while menu is a consideration, but ambience and the furniture will vary among dining venues.  Also, do a walk through OVC as a baseline.  You'll likely see some of the same dishes like kabobs, roasts, prime rib, fish, and sides as you would find in the dining rooms. That tour may help you gauge the relative pros and cons of a particular menu or preparation, as well as even the noise level.  Some of the dishes in the dining rooms didn't appear to be plated to order, so at least for those in items, the difference between a dining room and OVC is a small amout of walking and portion control.  

Edited June 29, 2022 by Cap_D