It’s Time For Dinner – On Celebrity Edge

My time aboard Celebrity Edge was an all-too-short two nights. The ship boasts 29 dining venues, and throughout my time onboard I was obviously not able to hit every one. In fact, I dined at the same restaurant twice. During my time aboard, however, I was able to get a feel for the different dining options, which left me designing the venues that I couldn't hit.

Luminae is the suite-class restaurant, where I was assigned to have dinner twice. I thought that everyone I dined with the night before may have been in a similar situation – so I asked. Turns out, I was the only one who was scheduled to dine at Luminae for a second night. Those that I dined with previously suggested that I change my reservation for dinner, but as the menu at Luminae changes every night, I figured I would dine there twice to see how the menu varies from night to night.

On the first night, the menu was great. There was a smoked tomato soup appetizer that seemed to be a hit with those who ordered it. Although I love soup, and trust me this one sounded really good, I saw another favorite option of mine – pork belly. I opted for the pork belly appetizer and was not disappointed by my choice, even after everyone had been talking about how amazing the soup was.

Entrees were up next. I chose the filet mignon, along with another person at my table. The other two at our table got duck breast. There was not as much discussion about our meal during the entree, but I think that was because we were enjoying our food so much. The filet was perfectly cooked for me, and the steak accompaniments were almost as good as the steak itself.

For dessert, I had a slice of almond cake, as did my counterpart who happened to order all three courses the same as I did. Dessert was accompanied by an espresso for me, and by wine for everyone else.

The second night I was at a much larger table, where there was also a lot of discussion about the food. I am pretty sure that we all ended up trying everything on the menu in one way or another because we were sharing bites. There was a soup appetizer again – this time it was artichoke – and even after hearing about how good the soup was the first night, I knew that I had to order my personal favorite food – beef tartare.

For my entree I ate lamb, and for my dessert I had a cheese plate. Both of which were as good – if not better – than the night before. Luminae is not a new concept for Celebrity – it is on other ships as well, but what shows on Celebrity Edge is that Celebrity has taken the time to perfect the venue. The staff was highly attentive and helpful in explaining menus and offering personal recommendations. Our server on the second night even offered to bring us the entrees that we didn't order to share among the table.

All-in-all, Luminae provides not only wonderful food and service, but also a nice experience for those who choose to dine there. As I said, this is a suite-class restaurant, so it is exclusive to guests booking suites. However, if you do choose to book a suite, I would strongly encourage you to dine at Luminae once, and maybe even twice – you won't be disappointed.

Other Dining Venues

Because I was on board for such a short time I only had a chance to dine at two other restaurants – Cosmopolitan and Oceanview Café. I ate lunch at Cosmopolitan alone, so I can only speak to my own experience there. Cosmopolitan is one of four complimentary main dining restaurants aboard Celebrity Edge. I had a wonderful meal there, but what stood out to me most was the environment. It was a perfect place to dine because there were so many windows. The light colors of the interior of this restaurant only enhanced the natural light coming through. Cosmopolitan was a great place to dine for a light lunch, literally and figuratively, but they also offered bigger portions, such as steak, for heavier fare.

Oceanview Café is a buffet style restaurant. Although similar in concept to what you may find on other big-ship cruise lines, this space differentiates itself from what I have seen in the past. The ceilings were higher than other spaces on the ship allowing for two-story floor-to-ceiling windows which, like Cosmopolitan, enhanced my dining experience. I was only able to eat breakfast at Oceanview Café, but it would make a great option for a quick bite at any time of day – and even for a late night snack.

Apart from food, I had some pretty wonderful cocktails aboard as well. The martini bar had a plethora of unique martinis – even one made with kale. Since I wasn't feeling quite that bold, I decided on a pineapple habanero martini, which was the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Later at Eden, I had a drink called The Veldt, which I was intrigued by because it came in a treasure box. However, my friend Sarah ordered Forbidden, which was the clear winner of our taste test.

The standout for every single food and dining option I experienced was that everything was so conceptual. There was a clear division of space between every venue on the ship, but with the dining venues in particular, there was a theme that carried through. In my last article, I wrote about how much I loved Eden, and although I didn’t get to dine there (yes, it’s a dining venue too), it was a winner for me in drinks as well. There was such a clear concept there that was apparent through every inch of the space.

That division of space is what makes Celebrity Edge so different from other cruise ships I have been on. I could go into Eden and then go to The Club, and it did not feel like I was in the same place. At the times I forgot that I was on a ship; however, the ocean views were not only present throughout multiple venues on the ship but also enhanced by certain design aspects depending on the space. The spaces were transformational. That is what sets this ship apart for me, and it is clear through all the aspects of the ship. It is unique, it is transformational, it is different. Celebrity Edge provides guests with an experience – not just a vacation.

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Article ID: ART4147

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