Last minute-ish booking, dining question

[LinnieRed]

Hi All,  my husband and I are new to Celebrity cruises. An October cruise down to Mexico caught our eye and we booked it yesterday. We are in a Sky Suite if that matters.

I want to make some specialty dining reservations, our preferred dining time is 7 PM or 7:30 PM, but there are none available. Do you recommend that I go ahead and make the reservations for the available time at 8 PM and have the concierge sort it out once we get on board? 

Thanks in advance.

 

Lynnie
 

Edited August 18, 2022 by LinnieRed
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[FlorenceItaly]

1 minute ago, LinnieRed said:

Hi All,  my husband and I are new to Celebrity cruises. An October cruise down to Mexico caught our eye and we booked it yesterday. We are in a Sky Suite if that matters.

I want to make some specialty dining reservations, our preferred dining time is 7 PM or 7:30 PM, but there are none available. Do you recommend that I go ahead and make the reservations for the available time at 8 PM and have the concierge sort it out once we get on board? 

Thanks in advance.

 

Lynnie
 

This is what I would do.

[jelayne]

I would do that but also be prepared to dine at 8.  If you are on a S class ship Murano has been full most nights and 7 & 7:30 are the most popular times. 

We were on the Reflection a few months ago and only a few late times for Murano were available.  
We are booked on a E class and Eden is not available on line except for 1 night at 9:30.  Last cruise On Day 1 suite guests were trying to get any reservation for Eden and there were none.  

[LinnieRed]

3 minutes ago, jelayne said:

I would do that but also be prepared to dine at 8.  If you are on a S class ship Murano has been full most nights and 7 & 7:30 are the most popular times. 

We were on the Reflection a few months ago and only a few late times for Murano were available.  
We are booked on a E class and Eden is not available on line except for 1 night at 9:30.  Last cruise On Day 1 suite guests were trying to get any reservation for Eden and there were none.  

Thanks. I probably should specified that we are on the Solstice. 
we will indeed be prepared to eat at 8 PM. Hope for an improvement, but expect nothing more than what we reserved. 

[39august]

You do understand that as a suite guest your assigned dining is at the suite restaurant Luminae? I wouldn't be in a hurry to book a lot of specialties as Luminiae is very special. Also, your butler or the Retreat concierge is likely to be able to get nearer the time you wish to book a specialty while you are on board. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

1 minute ago, 39august said:

You do understand that as a suite guest your assigned dining is at the suite restaurant Luminae? I wouldn't be in a hurry to book a lot of specialties as Luminiae is very special. Also, your butler or the Retreat concierge is likely to be able to get nearer the time you wish to book a specialty while you are on board. 

 

I second this.  Since you're new to Celebrity, I would dine a few nights in Luminae before you rush to book specialty restaurants.  In my experience, dining in Luminae is just as good and many times better than the specialty restaurants and dining in Luminae is included in your fare.  I only dine in specialties when I'm on long cruises and the price is included in the price of my upper suite.

[sdnich]

We also really enjoyed Luminae and if I was doing just a seven day cruise I just would enjoy it every night. We have a 12 night in September and we booked one night in Tuscan grill just for a change. The Summit  does not have Murano which we prefer . But on the Solstice the Tuscan grill is at the aft of the ship and if you can get a reservation before sail away and sunset it’s a great view. I just booked that reservation for our cruise in March on solstice to Mexico.

[George C]

We are also big fans of Luminae, but we do a couple of specialty restaurants, like le petit chef.

[jelayne]

I am in the minority.  Since I can’t eat fish or sea food I find the Luminae menu very limited.  I have yet to have duck that wasn’t dry.  On E class we do Luminae 2  nights, MDR 3 nights and specialties 2. Nights. 

[LinnieRed]

Does Luminae have a different menu each day for lunch and dinner? We have a bunch of onboard credit that we need to use, so planning on two specialty dining and five nights at Luminae. 

[George C]

2 minutes ago, LinnieRed said:

Does Luminae have a different menu each day for lunch and dinner? We have a bunch of onboard credit that we need to use, so planning on two specialty dining and five nights at Luminae. 

Yes but it is closed for lunch on port days , but retreat is open they have a small menu. Don’t miss the lobster roll on embarkation day lunch.

[LinnieRed]

1 minute ago, George C said:

Yes but it is closed for lunch on port days , but retreat is open they have a small menu. Don’t miss the lobster roll on embarkation day lunch.

This is going to make my husband so happy! Lobster roll is his favorite. 

[DCPIV]

2 hours ago, LinnieRed said:

Thanks. I probably should specified that we are on the Solstice. 
we will indeed be prepared to eat at 8 PM. Hope for an improvement, but expect nothing more than what we reserved. 

 

That's also what I would do.  That said, I completely agree that Luminae is quite good and worth a look.  We certainly will do some specialty dining on our upcoming sailings, but we don't do nearly as much as we would if we didn't have Luminae as an option.

[LeeW]

Our first cruise on Celebrity we upgraded to a Celebrity Suite and ate in Luminae each night and most breakfasts.  Superb service (usually same waiters and staff) and great food.  Just as fast as buffet for breakfast.  Were not sure about the weird menu descriptions online, but always found good food.  Main dining menu was also available (on Equinox), but DW ate steak most nights.  Although the "always available" would have been fine the waiter got her filet mignon each time. 

 

I tried something weird for dessert called the Dome.  WOW.  Chocolate cake/mousse combo hidden inside 4" chocolate dome.  Then they poured flaming brandy over it so it melted.  Quite a show!

 

With Luminae you don't need reservations.  

[bigbenboys]

On 8/18/2022 at 2:22 PM, LeeW said:

Our first cruise on Celebrity we upgraded to a Celebrity Suite and ate in Luminae each night and most breakfasts.  Superb service (usually same waiters and staff) and great food.  Just as fast as buffet for breakfast.  Were not sure about the weird menu descriptions online, but always found good food.  Main dining menu was also available (on Equinox), but DW ate steak most nights.  Although the "always available" would have been fine the waiter got her filet mignon each time. 

 

I tried something weird for dessert called the Dome.  WOW.  Chocolate cake/mousse combo hidden inside 4" chocolate dome.  Then they poured flaming brandy over it so it melted.  Quite a show!

 

With Luminae you don't need reservations.  

It is my favorite. I dont remember seeing it last June on the menu. I'm hoping it will be available on the Solstice next month.

[LeeW]

Great shot!  I didn't realize that they were going to do that and didn't have my phone out.

[Northern Aurora]

@LinnieRed :  Do go ahead and make at least one or two specialty dinner reservations at the times you can secure.  Once onboard ask for assistance from the Retreat Concierges (there will be two) for a possible change in dinning times.

 

Regarding specialty restaurants we prefer Murano.  Tuscan has a great view if you can secure one of the tables at the aft of the dining room.  And don't overlook Sushi on 5.

 

As already noted Luminae will be your assigned MDR.  On the Solstice class ships the waiters can also provide you will the MDR menu so there will be many options.  Celebrity has 14 day menu rotations.