Luminae Menu cutbacks?

[Jim_Iain]

I was doing a little comparison today from the Luminae Stock Menus from about a year ago and the current Apex 7 day cruise and they are almost identical for both lunch and dinner.   I did notice they shifted some days but they were doing that in September and December also.

 

Also a couple descriptions changed e.g. Alaska Salmon is now listed as Salmon and one night they replaced Jerk Chicken with Herb Roasted Chicken. 

 

While I don't sail again until April, I happy with the Luminae Menu's I've looked at. 

 

One thing I've noticed since Covid Shutdown they have modified for the better are the Amuse Bouche offering.  

[Jim_Iain]

12 hours ago, Treasure Hunter said:

On the Edge now. Secret always available includes: French onion soup, escargot, Caesar salad, a regular salad, steamed vegetables, baked potato, salmon, chicken breast and an awful NY strip steak that is brown/grey skinny . Also secret ice cream with chocolate sauce. 

 

Really not so secret -   It's printed exactly as you list on the MDR menu as is the Kid's Menu.  

[Jim_Iain]

8 hours 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? 

That's pretty common this far out.   They usually load the menus that will be close to what you will have at about 2 weeks prior to the cruise.

 

I looked on current Apex sailing and they have the Children's Menu listed under MDR but available in Blu, Lumina and Specialty as well.

[Treasure Hunter]

Maybe on the MDR but not on the Luminae menu. 

[Treasure Hunter]

Had the lobster last night ( chic night) . We pack for home today. It was three-four inches long. Very tasty. Had it with baked potato to fill up. Escargot and bread first both delicious. They forgot my veggies. Service is random in Luminae. Lots of new people, eager but inexperienced. Baked Alaska for afters ( melted inside). 

[rM3panno]

15 hours ago, Treasure Hunter said:

Here is the Edge Luminae children’s menu

My sons can vouch for everything on that menu except the grilled cheese. It usually arrives blackened 🤣.

 

The fish goujons, spaghetti bolognese, and filet are the most ordered in our house. The 7 year old has now graduated to the salmon from the mdr menu 

[rM3panno]

I find the food to be staff and ship specific. Keep in mind, different head chefs, directing hundreds of different cooks with varying homeports stocking thousands of products is bound to show up in the end product.

 

Here is a brief summary of my personal experience with food quality.

 

2016-2 week Baltic cruise on Silhouette. All specialties and Luminae were exceptional!

2017-1 week Caribbean cruise on Silhouette…everything was average or below..

 

2022-Reflection Eastbound TA. Luminae and specialities were great except Tuscan had some tough chicken and beef cuts. Buffet was the best I can remember on any sailing. Themed lunch days were executed perfectly highlighted by the British, Mexican, and Italian lunches.

 

2022-Apex Thanksgiving Eastern Caribbean-Luminae was pretty lackluster and the buffet was meh. 1 shining star was the Duck Bolognese in Luminae (make note of this, it was a too 10 cruise meal)

 

2022-Reflection Western Caribbean-Luminae was back up to my expectations but not the best. The buffet was not nearly as well executed as on the TA on this ship 8 months earlier. Imagine my excitement when I see the Duck Bolognese on the Luminae menu and Luminae as awhile is already well outperforming the Apex experience. I guess I should have known to be surprised…it was the worst meal of the week. Overcooked pasta, bland bolognese, and the duck could have been cardboard.

 

Their motto should be expect the unexpected, unless it is Moroccan Chicken because that seems to have latched onto the ships like a stubborn barnacle. It is not good and needs to just be removed. However, I consider myself to be very lucky anytime I’m on an “X boat” as my family calls them with the ones I love most.

Edited January 22, 2023 by rM3panno

[terrydtx]

There may be some downgrading of Luminae menu, but it is still a better overall experience than the MDR and on the top of our list of why we cruise in suites with Celebrity. Last August, Luminae on the Reflections was not as good as prior cruises but after hearing all the complaints from others on our cruise with the MDR, I was happy we got to dine in Luminae. We passed on specialty restaurants for dinners as in our opinion Luminae was as good or better than them. We did do a couple of lunches on Sushi on 5 and it was exceptional as always.

[TeeRick]

We boarded Equinox yesterday.  We had lunch at Luminae and it was pretty standard menu as before including the lobster roll.  We also had dinner and again a pretty typical menu and portions, and also my dw was able to order the escargot from the MDR menu.  So far so good.

[terrydtx]

51 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

We boarded Equinox yesterday.  We had lunch at Luminae and it was pretty standard menu as before including the lobster roll.  We also had dinner and again a pretty typical menu and portions, and also my dw was able to order the escargot from the MDR menu.  So far so good.

Was the Branzino still on the lunch menu yesterday?  My DW and I prefer it to the over hyped lobster roll. Looking forward to you reports on the Equinox.

Edited January 22, 2023 by terrydtx

[TeeRick]

24 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Was the Branzino still on the lunch menu yesterday?  My DW and I prefer it to the over hyped lobster roll. Looking forward to you reports on the Equinox.

Yes it was there.  

[cl.klink]

9 hours ago, Treasure Hunter said:

Had the lobster last night ( chic night) . We pack for home today. It was three-four inches long. Very tasty. Had it with baked potato to fill up. Escargot and bread first both delicious. They forgot my veggies. Service is random in Luminae. Lots of new people, eager but inexperienced. Baked Alaska for afters ( melted inside). 

 

Pure speculation, but my gut is that this is the glue holding these issues together.

 

- Joel

[sptrout]

Baked Alaska for afters ( melted inside)

 

The baked Alaska was the only dessert that I had in Luminae that I thought was up to the previous Luminae standards (but, without the flames). The other Luminae desserts were always available either later that night or the next day in the buffet. I had one type of chocolate cake at least three or four times at different outlets including the forementioned and Cafe Del Banco (SP?).

 

Le Voyage won the the dessert contest running away, not even in the same race.

[lahore]

On 1/22/2023 at 12:32 AM, TeeRick said:

Are you on Equinox?  Things on this buffet issue might change by March if the feedback to Celebrity continues to be very negative.  We are boarding today.

Yes, I will be on Equinox, gods willing.  It would be great if things change back, even partially but I am still concerned. 

[lahore]

5 hours ago, TeeRick said:

We boarded Equinox yesterday.  We had lunch at Luminae and it was pretty standard menu as before including the lobster roll.  We also had dinner and again a pretty typical menu and portions, and also my dw was able to order the escargot from the MDR menu.  So far so good.

I realise you have access to Luminae so probably won’t bother with the buffet at all, but I would greatly appreciate a photo/update on the state of the buffet for dinner if you had a spare minute on a sea day.  Cheers, L

[Jim_Iain]

Just for a little fun with comparison -

 

Day 1 (Jan 14, 2023) Lunch Menu posted by @nz1 currently posting menus and Luminae food porn

 

 

And now the Stock Menu from Celebrity's Travel Agent Portal  Dated 4/2018 -

Sure looks the same to me.

 

[RichYak]

3 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Sure looks the same to me.

Agreed. I have no interest in the Kale Salad on either menu. 😂

[Treasure Hunter]

I had a filet tonight, surprise! It was small but tender and tasty. Did I mention the always available shrimp cocktail. And they will bring a double. My husband had salmon with a side of sauce. He said it was good ( it came with mashed potatoes. So you can manage to have a very nice dinner in Luminae if you are resourceful. 

[Jim_Iain]

He only posted a couple dinner menus but did find one from  Day 7 Friday 1/20

 

 

I was able to match it up to stock menu 9.   Looks like the only change is the Veal Chop was replaced with a Pork Chop -  I can live with that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

11 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Agreed. I have no interest in the Kale Salad on either menu. 😂

 

Come on Rick you need some Kale or you don't get desert.   I think I recall a Kale soup one night on my last cruise and it was incredible.

[terrydtx]

11 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Agreed. I have no interest in the Kale Salad on either menu. 😂

Do you know the best way to sauté Kale is to add coconut oil, it makes scraping it into the trash much easier.😂

[Jim_Iain]

3 minutes ago, Treasure Hunter said:

I had a filet tonight, surprise! It was small but tender and tasty. Did I mention the always available shrimp cocktail. And they will bring a double. My husband had salmon with a side of sauce. He said it was good ( it came with mashed potatoes. So you can manage to have a very nice dinner in Luminae if you are resourceful. 

 

Curious -  was the Filet from the Children's Menu or the Regular?

 

By the way if your husband prefers he can get a Baked Potato any night with Sour Cream, Bacon and Chives and of course butter.

[Jim_Iain]

4 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Do you know the best way to sauté Kale is to add coconut oil, it makes scraping it into the trash much easier.😂

 

I thought you were going to say it gives your cowboy boots extra traction on icy Texas mornings. 😂

 

I think this discussion is going down the drain where you both think Kale belongs.

Edited January 23, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[RichYak]

3 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Come on Rick you need some Kale or you don't get desert.   I think I recall a Kale soup one night on my last cruise and it was incredible.

Luckily, I almost always skip dessert. I'll have to take your word for it on the kale soup.

[terrydtx]

1 minute ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I thought you were going to say it gives your cowboy boots extra traction on icy Texas mornings. 😂

First of all, I am a Texan but do not own a pair of cowboy boots, they are uncomfortable and too dam hot to wear 9 months of the year. Fortunately, we do not get too many icy mornings here too.😇