Rare 81Zoomie Posted December 16, 2023 #251 Share Posted December 16, 2023 @Stem to Stern thanks so much for your side by side comparison. We have been looking at MSC and we board the Summit when you get off. We appreciate all your pics and the info! If you have an opportunity, could you post a pick of the new wine by the glass prices on the Summit? We understand they recently increased. Hope you have another great cruise and it’s not too rocky with the storm this evening 🌊🚢🌴 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnm6217 Posted December 17, 2023 #252 Share Posted December 17, 2023 @Stem to Stern I'll be on Summit in just under a month. Can you let me know who the Concierges are on your sailing? Is Rafael still the Maitre d' in Luminae? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stem to Stern Posted December 17, 2023 Author #253 Share Posted December 17, 2023 5 hours ago, goofysmom99 said: or just hold steady? I hold the phone steady on the rail. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stem to Stern Posted December 17, 2023 Author #254 Share Posted December 17, 2023 5 hours ago, 81Zoomie said: could you post a pick of the new wine by the glass prices From Cellar Masters menu…. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stem to Stern Posted December 17, 2023 Author #255 Share Posted December 17, 2023 Evidently I drank up the rest of my prefered Chopin vodka upon boarding. When we returned to The Retreat Lounge in the evening there was no more available, so I settled for Belvedere in my Lemon Drop Martini. I will continue with hard liquor since I refuse to pay $2 a glass extra to drink newly priced $19 glasses of wine such as Conundrum. Evening snacks in The Retreat Lounge…. 9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stem to Stern Posted December 17, 2023 Author #256 Share Posted December 17, 2023 (edited) Snippets from Day 1 Luminae dinner menu as seen in app. We also looked at Blu and Cosmopolitan menus. Ordered off all three. The only dud was the carrot cake. Rosie aka my new cruise buddy loves carrot cake as much as I do, but the chocolate bar made up for it. Full photo dump next post. Amuse-bouche (Non-existent in MSC Yacht Club Restaurant) Edited December 17, 2023 by Stem to Stern 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stem to Stern Posted December 17, 2023 Author #257 Share Posted December 17, 2023 spaghetti bolognese (DH’s starter) Salad from Blu More Blu flavor wonderment poached lobster starter Ribeye Short rib 🤤🤤🤤 15 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stem to Stern Posted December 17, 2023 Author #258 Share Posted December 17, 2023 (edited) Good morning from off the northern coast of Cuba. DH and I started at Cafe Al Bacio until the weird music annoyed us enough to move on. I met up with our friends in The Retreat Lounge to make a breakfast plan. TRL morning dose of food porn… Could have just stayed here for some nosh. More relaxing music, but some loud passenger interrupted the serenity with their complaining about something at the crack of dawn. There is one in every bunch. Tim is still stuffed, so he has set up camp in the Solarium as it is quite windy on The Retreat Sundeck. Next stop Luminae. Edited December 17, 2023 by Stem to Stern 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 81Zoomie Posted December 17, 2023 #259 Share Posted December 17, 2023 (edited) 10 hours ago, Stem to Stern said: From Cellar Masters menu…. Thanks so much @Stem to Stern! Totally agree with your passing on the wine by the glass up charge. New pricing is a little over the top. Pic of Conudrum @ Costco this week. Edited December 17, 2023 by 81Zoomie 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lola2013 Posted December 17, 2023 #260 Share Posted December 17, 2023 Good morning Paul, Apex was amazing…disembarked yesterday 🥲. I waved as we sailed past Miami on 12/9! I’m ready for this Summit review. Down to 109 days until we sail on Silhouette 🚢. Bon Voyage, Susan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Georgia_Peaches Posted December 17, 2023 #261 Share Posted December 17, 2023 I'm impressed with how the Summit looks in the pics you've posted. Her décor seems pretty and fresh. How's your butler/Retreat Host service been thus far? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stem to Stern Posted December 17, 2023 Author #262 Share Posted December 17, 2023 25 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said: I'm impressed with how the Summit looks in the pics you've posted. Her décor seems pretty and fresh. How's your butler/Retreat Host service been thus far? My sentiments exactly. Feels like coming back home to visit an old friend.❤️🥰 Gorgeous, plush, and luxurious are adjectives that come to mind when strolling the interiors of the ship. Plenty of cozy nooks to discover before the masses awaken and begin to filter into the public spaces of the ship. However, DH is my counterbalance with his white-glove inspections and observations. The Solarium pool is cold and the jets in either Solarium hot tub is non-functional. Pool bar grout between countertop and edge needs attention. Valen and Brian are doing a fantastic job on the accommodation end of things. Of course, they have no control over Kelly Hoppen’s interior design fails choosing aesthectic over functionality.😂😂😂 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stem to Stern Posted December 17, 2023 Author #263 Share Posted December 17, 2023 (edited) 15 hours ago, tnm6217 said: @Stem to Stern I'll be on Summit in just under a month. Can you let me know who the Concierges are on your sailing? Is Rafael still the Maitre d' in Luminae? No. My apologies to him, but my memory fails me. Our most gracious maitre d’ in Luminae is named Sardar or Sandar from Turkey. Yesterday at lunch I placed my order with him for onion rings with today’s lunch. Of course he doubled the order. Everything at this morning’s fabulous Luminae breakfast looked to be doubled up as well.😳 Pete’s smorgasbord. Crispy bacon, pistachio danish all around, and fresh squeezed OJ and GJ were also enjoyed, but not photographed. I have to draw the line at some point.😂 Well, okay. If you insist on continuing to follow this food circus. My dining companions and waiters Andy and Anna are extremely tolerant of my photography inhibitions..😋 Rosie’s Potato waffle. Just my inclination, but did the four of us already earn a reputation for our appetites?😂 My Peach cobbler French toast prior to Andy’s generous and unhealthy pour of hot syrup. DH opted for quicker, lighter fare at The Spa Cafe since he was seriously engrossed in the final chapter of his book. Edited December 17, 2023 by Stem to Stern 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted December 17, 2023 #264 Share Posted December 17, 2023 I don’t see our go to wine decoy Cabernet, last summit cruise we were in royal suite which we will be in again in about 90 days . Upper suites gets two liters of liquor for your suite of your choice and a bottle of champagne, we traded the champagne for two bottles of decoy Cabernet. Our summit royal suite 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolebludger Posted December 17, 2023 #265 Share Posted December 17, 2023 S to S, please explain the “wine up charge”. All of our cruising has been on lux lines and in YC/Retreat type settings. Ordinary wine has always been included, with up charge only for super premium wines, so I’m confused. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichYak Posted December 17, 2023 #266 Share Posted December 17, 2023 14 minutes ago, Dolebludger said: S to S, please explain the “wine up charge”. All of our cruising has been on lux lines and in YC/Retreat type settings. Ordinary wine has always been included, with up charge only for super premium wines, so I’m confused. Wine and spirits up to $17 is included. Anything above $17, you pay the difference ("up charge"). Celebrity now has very ordinary wines priced over $17 per glass. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted December 17, 2023 #267 Share Posted December 17, 2023 2 minutes ago, RichYak said: Wine and spirits up to $17 is included. Anything above $17, you pay the difference ("up charge"). Celebrity now has very ordinary wines priced over $17 per glass. We often drink wines a few dollars above limit , you just pay difference and tip . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichYak Posted December 17, 2023 #268 Share Posted December 17, 2023 1 minute ago, George C said: We often drink wines a few dollars above limit , you just pay difference and tip . As do I. I have no problem paying up for quality. But now it seems you need to pay up even just for drinkability. 7 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolebludger Posted December 17, 2023 #269 Share Posted December 17, 2023 (edited) Yeah, that is a negative to me. Sounds like nickel and dimming. Edited December 17, 2023 by Dolebludger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted December 17, 2023 #270 Share Posted December 17, 2023 But I never heard of being charged extra in micheals or retreat , if you tell them you like a wine they will try to get it , also we ordered a wine on list in Luminae once and they were out and they substituted Caymus 😁 at no extra charge. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stem to Stern Posted December 17, 2023 Author #271 Share Posted December 17, 2023 (edited) 10 minutes ago, George C said: But I never heard of being charged extra in micheals or retreat I was told that would be $2 when inquiring in Luminae about newly priced $19 per glass Conundrum that sells for $18.99 per BOTTLE at Costco. Maybe The Retreat Lounge is another story. Sorry I realize point has already been made. I guess I need to decide if I will pay up or shut up and move on and drink $10 per glass Columbia Crest Merlot or Cotes de Rhône covered under Classic and premium beverage packages. This piece is not luxurious to me. Although my wine pallet is not very refined, i do find both of these alternatives drinkable.🤪 Edited December 17, 2023 by Stem to Stern 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted December 17, 2023 #272 Share Posted December 17, 2023 2 minutes ago, Stem to Stern said: I was told that would be $2 when inquiring about newly priced $19 per glass Conundrum that sells for $18.99 per BOTTLE at Costco. Sorry I realize point has already been made. I guess I need to decide if I will pay up or shut up and move on and drink $10 per glass Columbia Crest Merlot or Cotes de Rhône covered under Classic and premium beverage packages. This piece is not luxurious to me. Agree that was the biggest negative to MSc yacht club in my opinion. But really looking forward to sailing them again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MACruisers Posted December 17, 2023 #273 Share Posted December 17, 2023 I’m sorry, but $19 a glass for Cherry Tart is absolutely ridiculous! That stuff is so terrible, on day one, after all of the pleasantries we tell the sommelier that we do not want Cherry Tart ever. I remember on one trip our friends ordered it (we ordered something else because we hate it) and after one sip she looked at us and said “this is terrible!” We said “yeah, we know”. ‘Then why did you let ME order it?” We replied “you never know, you may have liked it”. Clearly we were wrong. 😂 I wouldn’t drink that stuff it were free never mind a $2 up charge per glass. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolebludger Posted December 17, 2023 #274 Share Posted December 17, 2023 It may seem trivial to some, but this is a “deal breaker” to me. Earlier in our cruising history, we got sick and tired on all the extras on mass market lines that we stopped going on them. The last time we cruised in the Retreat, this “up charging” didn’t happen. Ditto for the YC. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelayne Posted December 17, 2023 #275 Share Posted December 17, 2023 2 minutes ago, Dolebludger said: It may seem trivial to some, but this is a “deal breaker” to me. Earlier in our cruising history, we got sick and tired on all the extras on mass market lines that we stopped going on them. The last time we cruised in the Retreat, this “up charging” didn’t happen. Ditto for the YC. We have experience up charges in Luminae on all our suite sailing, just not for average wines. Caymus and Emmolo merlot are ones I will occasionally order and there has been a upcharge. It used to be a $13 upcharge for Caymus and $5 then 10 for Emmolo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now