Luminae Menu cutbacks?

[Cruising Princess]

I am so sorry for not adding more context to this original thread but I had a family emergency and today is my first day back on CruiseCritic.  

This morning I spent over an hour comparing the Luminae dinner menus between our last 2 suite class cruises:  Constellation in March 2022 and Beyond in December 2022.  While reviewing the menus today, almost all of the choices each evening where the same except there were some differences that seemed like they were substituting some proteins to reduce costs. 

Note:  Not every menu could be compared since some nights each ship had one of the other dinner menus that Celebrity rotates.  

   

Here are the findings:

 

Main Course Changes - (Beyond vs Constellation)

• Cod vs Barramundi
• Snapper vs Alaskan Halibut 
• Chicken Breast vs Duck Breast

 

And one interesting Appetizer Change (Beyond vs Constellation)

• Pig Foot Carpaccio vs Scallop Carpaccio

 

Regarding choice of menus - the Beyond menus chosen for our sailing we believe are those that had cheaper ingredient options.  Missing that we enjoyed on the Constellation were:  Veal Chop, Lamb Shank and Venison Loin.

 

On the Beyond they served menus that had Cod on two evenings as well as Lamb Loin (which was served on back to back nights).  

 

Bottom line - the changes are subtle to someone who doesn't sail in retreat class often, but when you know the menus as well as me and hubby..... its noticeable.  

 

[Guest 4-2-N-8]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

based on many negative comments on CC.  Good lord if I based what I was or was not going to do based on this, I'd probably never leave my damn cabin.

But now there is a service charge for room service. It'll even cost you to protest!

 

Boop boop bee doo...

[CruiseCrew123]

Is it just me or does pig foot carpaccio sound really unappetising 🤢 

[Guest 4-2-N-8]

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

I would like to see the Daniel Boulud dishes change after the same thing for 3 years. Tried the Moroccan chicken twice on two ships and it is not good at all.

Chicken bird parts. That and snails.

 

Hard to dress those up (call it a delicacy if you like, in the far past some of this was eaten as only a matter of survival).

 

But, I suppose you can make most anything passable (or a delicacy).

 

Heck, I'd throw deep fried tree bark on a menu and brand it as "ESG sustainable plant-based eco-friendly earth matter" just to see what the reviewers say.

 

Don't blame me. I'm just an ideas man (person).

[Moochi]

3 minutes ago, 4-2-N-8 said:

 

 

Heck, I'd throw deep fried tree bark on a menu and brand it as "ESG sustainable plant-based eco-friendly earth matter" just to see what the reviewers say.

 

And dress it up with roasted banana peel purée and micro bonsai tree leaf

[Cruising Princess]

4 minutes ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

Is it just me or does pig foot carpaccio sound really unappetising 🤢 

 

When I read the menu for the first time sitting in the beautiful Luminae dining room I gasped!  Then I couldn't get the vision of a pig's dirty foot out of my mind!  

[Guest 4-2-N-8]

1 minute ago, Moochi said:

And dress it up with roasted banana peel purée and micro bonsai tree leaf

Brilliant!

 

We're going into business!

[suzyluvs2cruise]

on the App for our EDGE Feb 24 cruise it shows Lobster Roll day 1 lunch, Alaskan Halibut day 2 dinner and Filet Mignon day 6 dinner with no dinner on days 5 and 7 and venue closed the days 8, 9 and 10 of our 10 day cruise. This tells me the app will be updated and menus could change for all days. 

@Treasure Hunter - do they still offer a children's menu? 

Edited January 21, 2023 by suzyluvs2cruise

[suzyluvs2cruise]

2 hours ago, sptrout said:

Funny thing though at Le Voyage they excepted our request to use wines from our Premium Package, no arugment, At Eden they were very insistant that we buy wine from their wine list (by the bottle with 20% discount). They may have relented, but we got tired of aruging and just bought ta low cost bottle on their wine list. We drink wine on osscasion, but cannot tell the difference detween a $25 bottle and a $100 bottle.

Wow....about pushing you to buy a bottle of wine at EDEN. We'll be on EDGE end of February and when we dine at EDEN will enjoy a glass....or two....of included wine. Pressuring you to buy a bottle is so wrong IMHO. 

[terrydtx]

33 minutes ago, 4-2-N-8 said:

But now there is a service charge for room service. It'll even cost you to protest!

 

Boop boop bee doo...

For those in suites and dinning in Luminae there is not a cost for room service, only the non suites have the new RS charge.

[terrydtx]

16 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

on the App for our EDGE Feb 24 cruise it shows Lobster Roll day 1 lunch, Alaskan Halibut day 2 dinner and Filet Mignon day 6 dinner with no dinner on days 5 and 7 and venue closed the days 8, 9 and 10 of our 10 day cruise. This tells me the app will be updated and menus could change for all days. 

@Treasure Hunter - do they still offer a children's menu? 

We were on the Reflection last year on a 10 day cruise. The app never did show any dinner menus for Luminae beyond night 7 until we boarded. Day 8, 9 and 10 turned out to be repeats of Day 1, 2 & 3.

[bnurick]

Currently on the Edge, 10 nights. Luminae has been wonderful. Outside of our usual specialty dinners, day 7 menu we did not like at all and booked Raw on 5. They also have their classics menu which is available every night. I know it includes a filet mignon.

[markeb]

37 minutes ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

Is it just me or does pig foot carpaccio sound really unappetising 🤢 

 

Googled it. There are a lot of examples out there on the web. Most of them look pretty appetizing. I'm kind of surprised. Looks like most of them aren't a traditional carpaccio. Kind of curious how they're doing it...

[suzyluvs2cruise]

10 minutes ago, bnurick said:

Currently on the Edge, 10 nights. Luminae has been wonderful. Outside of our usual specialty dinners, day 7 menu we did not like at all and booked Raw on 5. They also have their classics menu which is available every night. I know it includes a filet mignon.

Do they still offer a children's menu? My DH isn't an adventurous eater and occasionally had Spaghetti from the children's menu. 

 

[hcat]

17 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

Wow....about pushing you to buy a bottle of wine at EDEN. We'll be on EDGE end of February and when we dine at EDEN will enjoy a glass....or two....of included wine. Pressuring you to buy a bottle is so wrong IMHO. 

We won't be buying a bottle of wine anywhere.  As a diabetic I limit alc intake and do not have wine  at dinner.  My spouse will have a glass or two with the main entree.

 

One thing we disliked recently about Royal C,  was the unending push to sell.... We hosted a special b day celebration in a Soecialty venue for our extended family. Before the cake/ desserts were served,  we were interrupted by a push to buy some type of wine aerator.   Very rude and low class..  Sad if X is following suit!

[hcat]

53 minutes ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

Is it just me or does pig foot carpaccio sound really unappetising 🤢 

 

Seeing and smelling it served would really kill my appetite!  Bleh...

  Is that really food, perhaps a delicacy  in some parts, or flavoring  for broth???

[Treasure Hunter]

I will ask about a children’s menu tonight. I have only seen one toddler in the retreat.

[markeb]

2 minutes ago, hcat said:

 

Seeing and smelling it served would really kill my appetite!  Bleh...

  Is that really food, perhaps a delicacy  in some parts, or flavoring  for broth???

 

It would smell like cooking pork. And prepared as a carpaccio you'd only have the meat. And yes, it's a delicacy in large parts of the world.

 

And example from the internet...

 

[JL87]

21 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

It would smell like cooking pork. And prepared as a carpaccio you'd only have the meat. And yes, it's a delicacy in large parts of the world.

 

I had it a couple of weeks ago on Beyond. It was delicious. The texture was more like very thin pieces of pate. Very innovative.

[jalves]

15 hours ago, terrydtx said:

It looks like Branzino is no longer on the embarkation lunch and has been replaced by Halibut. Not a fan of Halibut but last year the Branzino was excellent on the Reflection Luminae. 

Boarding day Luminae menu from Apex 1/14/23 sailing

[Treasure Hunter]

Here is the Edge Luminae children’s menu

[suzyluvs2cruise]

30 minutes ago, Treasure Hunter said:

Here is the Edge Luminae children’s menu

Thank You! 

[hcat]

4 hours ago, markeb said:

 

It would smell like cooking pork. And prepared as a carpaccio you'd only have the meat. And yes, it's a delicacy in large parts of the world.

 

And example from the internet...

 

does not look like pork..

[SusieAV8R]

11 hours ago, terrydtx said:

I would like to see the Daniel Boulud dishes change after the same thing for 3 years. Tried the Moroccan chicken twice on two ships and it is not good at all.

We are less than impressed with ALL of Daniel Bolud's dishes.  I'd like to see a new chief.

[terrydtx]

9 minutes ago, SusieAV8R said:

We are less than impressed with ALL of Daniel Bolud's dishes.  I'd like to see a new chief.

Celebrity pays him a lot of money for nothing IMO.