Beyond 0419

Beyond B2B Eastern Caribbean- Mia,Sea,Sea,Tortola,San Juan,Puerta Plata,Mia,Sea,Puerta Plata,San Juan,Gran Turk,Sea,Coco Cay, Mia. Magic Carpet Suite 7202. Cruises 68 & 69. Captain's Club points, 4413.

Captain Nikolaos Christodoulakis and Costas Nestoroudis; Staff Captain Llias Kollios; Hotel Director Niyazi Korkmaz; HR Sandeepa Wagoda Pathirage; Revenue Marketing Director Paul Burton; GRD Julie Sherrington; CE Argyrios Poulakis; CD Sarah-Leanne; Butler Putu; Stateroom Attendant Shupikai “Kai”; Head Butler Nabile; Maître d’ Zhan Gocev. So. Africa; Hostess Carmella/Jennifer;Head Waiter Sudio; Waiter Budi; Assistant Waiter Tash; Water Desire; Bread Mariz; Ellah Wine; Retreat Manager Elanora “Nora”; Retreat concierges Mary, Cindy, Jackie, Ben, Geo; Retreat lounge server Stephen/Raymond; Retreat Bar Franz/Nathan; Retreat sundeck butler Putu; Capt Club concierge Amor Benjamin Miguel Kyle.

Click on any picture to enlarge. All photos available at the end.                                       

Day 0 NJ Fll Mia

Early to bed and early to rise may not guarantee a faster start to vacation, but we gave it our best shot by waking up at 1:15 AM. From that moment on, everything moved like clockwork. The car arrived early, and we had an easy 60‑minute ride to JFK. The Delta skycap actually came right to the car to grab our bags and check us in. TSA was a breeze, and we made sure to thank several agents for the work they continue to do, even after the U.S. Senate did them wrong.

Next stop was the Centurion Lounge, where we relaxed comfortably with coffee and a light snack. Then came the long walk to Gate 36B at the far end of the terminal. Boarding began

on time, and we even took off early. I teased the flight attendant from Texas about her “Brooklyn” accent. She shot back, “Yes, I’m from Red Hook!” Touché.

Randi went with stuffed French toast for breakfast, while I had chia pudding. We landed 15 minutes early in FLL. While waiting at the carousel, Randi

spotted a woman with an orange Celebrity bag and struck up a conversation about where she got it. She replied,"someone shoreside gave it to her."

Once we collected our bags, I called SAS Transportation, but there was a 30‑minute wait —

and traffic on I‑95 was awful. The silver lining: we were the first couple dropped off at the JW Marriott Brickell. At the desk, no rooms were ready yet,

so we walked to Publix for Coffee‑mate coffee creamers — just three blocks down SW 13th. We picked up four varieties, for our two-week trip. Along the

way, we saw many of these autonomous delivery vehicles. apparantly you contact a store for you order. The vehicle arrives there, then delivers the item to your specified location. We thought we would be hit by one but it stopped feet in front

of us. When we returned, the room still wasn’t ready, so we iced the creamers and headed to La Terraza for a Villa Maria.

We ordered a Mediterranean sampler, but the new employee brought a Mediterranean salad instead. Wrong order — but he told us to enjoy it on the house and then brought the correct dish.

Later, our room was finally ready. I asked about complimentary breakfast vouchers, and they were able to provide some. We squeezed in a quick nap before heading to Truluck’s for happy hour at 4

PM. Our cousins Nancy and Larry, who are joining us on this cruise, arrived around 4:45. It was great seeing them. Our dinner reservation was an hour later, so we enjoyed cocktails and catching up.

Dinner was outstanding — our second visit to this restaurant, and it was absolutely worth returning. Larry’s shrimp cocktail featured the biggest shrimp I’ve ever seen. Everyone loved their meals, and around

8:30 we said goodnight. They grabbed an Uber, and we walked the five blocks back to the hotel. After a very long day, starting at 1:15AM, we were finally done.

Day 1 Mia

A 6:30 alarm woke us so we could get ready for our 8 AM breakfast at Isabella’s, the hotel restaurant. Diana — a former colleague of mine from WPIX more than 20 years ago — was joining us. We went down a little early and had coffee while we waited for her.

When she arrived, the moment was electric. We hugged for what felt like an eternity. She looked fantastic — not a day older, if anything younger. We sat together and caught up on old times, new times, and everything in between while enjoying breakfast. We promised to get together again soon.

By 9:30, we had to say our goodbyes because our car was scheduled for 9:45. We grabbed our bags, checked out, and headed to the waiting van. After loading up, we picked up Nancy and Larry at Hotel Indigo and continued on to the Port of Miami.

We arrived at the port entrance around 10 AM — and immediately hit a traffic nightmare. What is normally a 10‑minute stretch took more than 90 minutes. Once we were finally dropped off at priority check‑in, everything smoothed out. Security was quick, and after a brief stop at the online check‑in desk, we were on our way.

Moments later, we stepped aboard the Celebrity Beyond for the first time — only our second Edge‑class ship. It’s stunning! This is the Martini bar.

We dropped our bags in the room. Our room had a key‑coding issue, but our butler, Putu, fixed it immediately. The

Retreat staff also helped us get our devices connected to the Wi‑Fi. Larry and Nancy’s cabin was right next door. With logistics handled, we headed to

Luminae for a wonderful lunch. I had a delicious borscht soup and a Cobb salad. We also booked Prime Cut Steakhouse for later in the cruise to celebrate Nancy and Larry’s anniversary.

After lunch, we explored the ship — from Eden to the casino to various restaurants and shops — and still didn’t see everything.

Back in the room, our bags had arrived, so we unpacked. Sail away was at 4 PM, and we

watched Miami fade into the distance from the comfort of our stateroom.

After showering, we went to the Retreat for a cocktail and then to the first show of the cruise: comedian Jim Colliton, who was very funny. Dinner followed at Luminae around 8:30. Afterwards, we

stopped by the club for karaoke. Most performances earned applause out of pity, but one guy surprised everyone with a Broadway‑worthy number. By then, we were done for the night.

Day 2 Sea

We woke up at 7:30 and gathered some paperwork before heading to Luminae for breakfast. While we were there, I fixed Larry and Nancy’s phones so they could use Wi‑Fi calling.

On the Retreat sundeck it was 79 degrees in the shade with a beautiful breeze — perfect for relaxing.

We stayed on the Luminae sundeck, until lunchtime, where Larry and I had a couple of burgers. After that, it was time for a nap. And then the trouble began.

I realized I had forgotten to pack something important for Randi’s medical situation. The next hour was spent making calls and trying to track it down in the Port of San Juan. No luck. We did get a few phone numbers, so we’ll try again tomorrow.

We headed to the Retreat for cocktails and then made our way to the theater for a show called Elements. First the Captain introduced his staff and

then the show began. It was excellent — a mix of acrobatics, singing, and strong stage presence.

Dinner followed in Luminae celebrating Larry and Nancy's anniversary. We had all pre‑ordered the filet mignon, and it did not disappoint. We ended up closing the restaurant

down before heading to the Club to hear a great band called Cape Muses, who were playing some excellent Motown and soul. Night‑night came next.

Day 3 Sea

After an on‑and‑off night of sleep, we met Larry and Nancy at Luminae for breakfast. Randi and I spent part of the morning making calls to try to secure what she needed medically.

We headed up to Eden for the Captain’s Club party. There are 49 Zeniths on board, but only 11 original Zeniths. We met Captain Nick — and although he insisted we’d sailed with him on the Beyond, we’re convinced it

was actually on the Reflection. He introduced his senior staff and saluted the passengers. Dave, the top cruiser had over 9000 Captain's Club points. Meanwhile, Randi received a call back from Tandem Medical to complete her order, which was a relief.

After a very nice party, we went to El Bacio for a cocktail. Soon after, we headed to Blu for the Zenith lunch — the nicest one we’ve attended. GRD Julie hosted along with Sunshine from Guest Relations. Great conversation, lots of laughs, and even “pass‑around” prizes. Julie, the red-head, seated to our left, had previously written down personality traits for each of us on individual slips —

and they were surprisingly accurate. Mine read: war‑like, leader of the pack in the best way. Randi’s said: shield and protector — she saves the day and looks good doing it. Hard to argue with either one.

She also gave us additional typed questions to spark conversation. Mine asked: If you couldn’t cruise Celebrity, which line would you sail? I answered Azamara — the only other line we’ve ever sailed. Randi’s question was: What’s the top tip you’d give to any cruise newbie? Her answer: $100 to make them feel at ease and comfortable.

The menu was the best yet, with extra appetizers. Along with Greek salad and tomato caprese, there were grilled shrimp, fried calamari, and a special surf‑and‑turf entrée with filet and lobster tail. It was a terrific lunch.

Afterward, we walked to the elevator. Randi went to the casino for the first time, and I joined our cousins on the sundeck in the shade. When they went to the pool, I borrowed Nancy’s noise‑canceling headphones and worked on my blog for a while.

Later, I met up with Randi and we returned to the cabin to rest — but got sidetracked again trying to confirm the medical equipment. No luck. We had a backup plan once we reached San Juan, Puerto Rico.

We went to the Retreat and relaxed for a couple of hours

before meeting Larry and Nancy for dinner at Luminae at 7:30. Always good — Randi had the short ribs, and I had the tuna with a side of cavatelli.

On the way back to our stateroom, we passed a door with a sign saying Delilah was celebrating her birthday. Naturally, I started singing, “Why, why, why Delilah…”

Day 4 Tortola

I was up a little during the night but finally got out of bed at 7 AM so we could meet our cousins for our usual 8:30 breakfast. By about 10:30, we were off the ship — but only after I had to replace my ship card because it wouldn’t register

on the security machine. We hopped into an open‑air taxi. The price was $48 for two, round‑trip. After getting our wristbands, we headed to Cane

Garden Bay through winding mountain roads and sharp switchbacks. The driver dropped us off at Myett’s, where we rented two chairs and an umbrella for $30.

It was beautiful — blue water, blue sky, mountains, and white clouds — but definitely more crowded than we remembered.

Around 12:30, many people left because the Norwegian ship had a 1:30 departure. We stayed a bit longer and enjoyed a bucket of beers.

Larry and Nancy had a great time in the crystal blue waters. At 2 PM we caught an open‑air taxi back to the ship.

We freshened up and grabbed a

couple of small bites at Craft Social, then headed up to the Retreat Sundeck for some late‑day cocktails. After showering and shaving, we met Larry and Nancy in the Retreat before going to Luminae for dinner. I ordered the cod loin in curry sauce but didn’t care for it, so I also ordered the pasta dish.

Another wonderful dining experience.

After dinner, we went to Eden to hear an acoustic guitarist playing Beatles songs. She was pretty good, but soon enough it was bedtime.

Day 5 San Juan

Last night, there was a banging noise in the ceiling when the seas got a little rough. We had the same experience on Ascent, so I called the Concierge and asked maintenance to check the room while we were ashore in San Juan.

We met Larry and Nancy for our usual 8:30 breakfast in Luminae. We were told the gangway would be completely closed between 9:45 and 10:30 because a Royal Caribbean ship was berthing next to us and the authorities wanted the area cleared — presumably for

security. We were off by 9:30 and headed to the taxi stand, where we grabbed a cab to the Walgreens in Condado. After a 10‑minute ride, it took about 15 minutes to pick up the medication while the driver

waited. With the medication on ice, he drove us back toward Old San Juan, dropping us near what used to be the Polo store, now closed. I tipped him well.

We texted our cousins that we were back in town and heading

to El Convento. They met us there. I checked whether the $250 rate was still available for a future stay — it wasn’t. The four of us walked down the block to our favorite little hole‑in‑the‑wall bar,

Marylin’s, for cocktails. Menu  Nancy mentioned she got Big Jim the T‑shirt he requested. We took a slow walk back to the ship, stopping to pick up some candy for our room stewardess, who had mentioned she had a sweet tooth.

Once aboard, we split up. Randi and I went to Luminae, where we both had the branzino and rice pudding. Then we relaxed

in the shade on the Retreat Sundeck.

Later, Randi’s luck changed in the casino — she won!!

Soon it was time for our 7 PM reservation at Prime Cut Steakhouse. We had a lovely time, but we both agreed that Luminae offers just as good quality without the extra cost.

This dinner was yet another celebration of Larry and Nancy's anniversary.

Day 6 Puerto Plata

We still had overhead noise in our room overnight. I mentioned it to the Concierge, who said they would try to come up again today and also check while we’re underway, since it only happens when the seas get a little rough.

We headed to Luminae for breakfast with Larry and Nancy, and shortly afterward we stepped off the ship in Puerto Plata. They’ve really built up the area here — lots to do.

There’s a splash park, a Surfrider attraction, a huge pool, and a paved walkway lined with shops and stores. We browsed a few and then stopped

for a cold drink at the Parrot Bar. The sky started to darken and rain was expected, so we decided to head back to the ship. We split up once aboard.

Randi and I went to Raw on 5, where she finally got her dumplings. We shared a king crab leg, and I had a shrimp stir‑fry with noodles in a spicy sauce along with tempura beef, chicken, and shrimp. Everything was delicious. The waiter even brought us each a free dessert — sorbet for Randi and a Chinese roll cake for me.

We headed back to the Retreat Sundeck and met up with Larry and Nancy again. We stopped by the Retreat Lounge, where they were talked to the Future Cruise team. While there, we met Dave and Cindy from Florida — a very nice couple and fun to talk to.

The casino wasn’t too generous tonight, but the lobster was flowing in Luminae. There was broiled lobster, poached lobster, and Randi had the lamb chops. Everyone enjoyed their meals. We missed the silent disco,

but we did catch the entertainer — Matt Johnson, an excellent magician and illusionist. After the show, we stopped at the Martini Bar for the Sparkle Party.

Day 7 Sea

Our last full day of the first leg of our two‑week cruise began with a light breakfast in the Retreat. Next, we checked our room balance — about $320 — picked up some tipping envelopes, and walked to the

Tuscan restaurant for the repeaters’ information meeting. We learned that next week we’ll be berthing at Terminal A instead of E. Randi won one of the raffle prizes: a Celebrity towel‑clip pack.

I went to the Retreat Sundeck to relax and continue my blog while Randi checked in with the casino gods. She prayed — and won. After about half an hour on the sundeck, we decided to go to Luminae for lunch. Good call. Randi had the lamb chops,

and I had a tuna steak with pappardelle ribbon pasta in a

mushroom cream sauce. The lava cake was outrageous.

Back up to the sundeck we went to chill and nap under the summer breeze. Later, we cleaned up and returned to the casino. Randi won a little more while I watched her squeal with

delight. Then we headed to the Retreat Lounge for a cocktail while waiting for Larry and Nancy.Dinner at Luminae was fantastic. The filet mignon was

outstanding — even better than at Fine Cut Steakhouse. The crew was terrific, and we had a lot of laughs, ending with singing Happy Birthday to Nancy. Larry and Nancy packed their last‑minute things while we waited for them in the Retreat Lounge for a nightcap.

Day 8 Mia/Turnaround Day

A 6:30 alarm got us to breakfast around 7:30. We hung out with our cousins until about 8:30. After picking up last‑minute things from the room, we went to the

Retreat to wait until Larry and Nancy disembarked and we could head to the terminal for immigration. They said goodbye and left around 9:25.

We were escorted to the terminal at 9:40 and cleared customs quickly. By 10 AM, we were back on board.

Meanwhile, Larry and Nancy texted that they had a four‑hour flight delay.

We were met for lunch in Luminae by our great Maitre d' Zahn. He was serving branzino and a lobster roll. We met Colleen and Bob from Pennsylvania there. Afterward, we went back to the stateroom to relax until the Captain made an announcement over the PA system.

We got ready, and went to the Retreat for a cocktail before heading to our first‑ever dinner at Le Voyage at 7 PM — Daniel Boulud’s creation.

August, our waiter, guided us through the menu. We started with the king crab salad, which was excellent. I also had the prawns in garlic sauce.

For our main courses, Randi had the filet mignon, which she said melted in her mouth. I had the slow‑cooked chicken breast — one of the softest, juiciest I’ve ever had.

For dessert, I had a chocolate creation, and Randi had rice pudding. The chef was not shy about snapping a picture with my beautiful wife. After a long and satisfying day, we called it a night.

Day 9 Sea

I was up again during the night — not because of the ship, just my own trouble sleeping through. At 7:15 we got out of bed and discovered Microsoft was down, so we couldn’t sign into our account. We went to Luminae for breakfast, then checked our onboard account

since one of our tips wasn’t showing. We also canceled our Lawn Club reservation; we’ve had more than enough steak on this cruise. Putu on the Retreat Sundeck set us up with shady chairs. Life is good.

Later, Randi and I went to the casino. I wanted to see what the big thrill was about pushing the buttons. I lost some, won some back, and ended up slightly down. After lunch in Luminae, she returned to the casino while I went to the stateroom for a nap. Outlook seemed to be working again.

When I woke up from my nap, the Magic Carpet was moving past our suite, It moves extremely slowly and at most twice a day. No one is on it when it is in motion.

At 5, I went to the officers’ soirée in the Retreat Lounge. I spoke with the Hotel Director and even got a picture with the Captain. Randi joined the party, and we met some nice people to chat with. We had a lovely dinner in Luminae, then

went to the Club for two game shows — one called Yes or No and the other a trivia‑style knowledge game. Someone in our group was very smart. We weren’t, so we called it a night.

Day 10 Puerta Plata

I had trouble sleeping again, but we both got up around 7 AM and got ready for breakfast. We disembarked early and were the only ship in port, so the area was quiet. We did a quick

walk‑through of the port, just like last week, to get some steps in. We stopped at the duty‑free store to see if they had the 50‑year‑old Grey Goose Altius vodka — they didn’t. But Randi found a lightweight pair of Maui Jim sunglasses for me, discounted from $239 to $149.

Back on the ship, we relaxed on the Retreat Sundeck until lunch at Raw on 5. Randi ordered her gyoza dumplings, and I had the gyoza plus the Beyond Roll — shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, cucumber, eel sauce, and spicy mayo. All excellent. The waiter brought us a complimentary sashimi plate, and we finished with green tea ice cream. Afterward, we napped in the comfort of our suite.

The evening began with Randi in the casino while I grabbed a Woodford double cask at Craft Social and walked to Eden to listen to Manuela and Luciana play acoustic sets. Very relaxing.

A beautiful sunset followed through Eden’s aft windows.

I picked up Randi from a winning casino session, and we went to Luminae for prosciutto‑wrapped chicken and a glass of Belle Glos Pinot Noir.

After dinner, we went to the shops to buy a bottle of Grey Goose Altius vodka but ran into a delivery issue since we wanted it brought to the room on the last sea day, not on the last day, so we could pack it. It seemed to be a problem. To be continued...

Day 11 San Juan

We woke at 7:30, dressed, and headed to breakfast before going ashore for a walk in Old San Juan. In one shop, I bought two Cuban shirts — one blue, one green. On the way back, we stopped at a drugstore for a few items. It was humid with a misty rain in the air.

Back aboard, Nora, the Suite Manager, told us they were working on the store‑purchase issue. On the Retreat Sundeck, which was empty, I enjoyed a Blue Hawaiian while Randi had a Bloody Mary.

Randi checked our upcoming Bermuda reservation — we had booked a guarantee room and were assigned a Sunset Sky Suite, 6307. Yay!

Lunch in Luminae was very nice. We both had salads; Randi had a cheeseburger, and I had pasta with shrimp. After lunch, we returned to the sundeck for a 90‑minute power nap.

We cleaned up and split up — Randi went to the casino but found a 30‑minute delay before

opening. I went to find out what to do tomorrow in Grand Turk. We’ve never been there, but it seems there’s a beach right at the end of the pier.

I headed to Eden to listen to Luciana perform solo — very enjoyable. Zeus and Juani followed on guitar and piano. I

picked up Randi from the casino, and we went to Luminae for dinner. We sat in a different spot this time, facing outward toward the window — a totally different and very nice view.

We headed back to the cabin, where I had the best sleep of the entire cruise.

Day 12 Grand Turk

We sailed into Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The seas were smooth again, as they have been for most of the cruise. After our 7:30 breakfast, we went to the Retreat Lounge.

Randi worked and made business calls for about half an hour while I had a cappuccino and watched a sailboat drift by.

With about an hour left before docking at 11,we returned to the suite to sit on our deck, then moved back to the Retreat for easy debarkation.

Once ashore, the blue‑green waters shimmered with color. We walked around the shops, bars, and restaurants. One shop

was Margaritaville, where Randi found light‑up shirts for her boss’s grandkids. It was a pleasant port to stroll, with

beautiful views of Beyond in the background.

After about an hour, we headed back to the ship and the Retreat Sundeck, where we had a nice lunch and some drinks. Putu

already had two shaded lounge chairs waiting for us, so we settled in and watched the puffy clouds drift by. At 4:45, we attended a debarkation meeting in the Retreat Lounge with Ben. We plan to be off the ship at 7:45 on Sunday. Next, in the

Retreat, Manuela performed on cello — absolutely beautiful.

At dinner, we both enjoyed the Black Sea Bass. Randi had a tired day from her blood sugars, so we called it an early night.

Day 13 Sea

I was only up for an hour last night, so I didn’t feel too bad this morning. We had a light breakfast since the Zenith lunch was today. We chatted with two nice ladies from Florida, Anne and Lenore — great conversation and fun stories.

Back in the Retreat, we tried to figure out why we couldn’t check in for our upcoming Bermuda cruise and discovered it was because we were on the ship’s Wi‑Fi, which blocks new check‑ins for some reason. We also spoke with Nora, who arranged for us to finally receive

the vodka today. After that, we went down to the shop, purchased it, and brought it back to the room so we could pack it. Randi headed to the casino to play, "order-up," while I sat in the shade on the Retreat Sundeck writing. I picked her up from the money‑draining casino

and escorted her to Blu for our Zenith luncheon. In attendance was the Captain, a outgoing and wonderful host.

the Hotel Director (who sat next to Randi), the Chief Engineer, and

the Staff Captain (who sat next to me). Dave and John were there, along with Valerie from Toronto, a couple from Cape May, and another from Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Lunch was wonderful — similar to last week but with an additional surf‑and‑turf entrée, grilled shrimp, and fried calamari. Another exceptional event.

Afterward, Randi decided to make another contribution to the casino, so I went back to the suite and lounged on the deck watching the blue waves roll by. We got ready for dinner, but first stopped at the Retreat to visit our favorite bartender, Stephen. Raymond was there too.

Dinner was exceptional again. Our waiter, Budi, made us an Indonesian meal: fried rice, sunny‑side‑up eggs, garlic shrimp, and Randi added a lobster tail.

We strolled to the Magic Carpet for a Prosecco and then went to see the magic show again. He’s good — I’ll give him that — but it was the same show as before. After that, it was time to hit the sack.

Day 14 Perfect Day at Coco Cay

We cleared the island a little after 8 AM, finished breakfast, cashed out our account, and headed ashore. We’d never been here before, but the Hotel Director told us the Coco Beach Club was the Retreat area. When we arrived, the entrance staff made some calls, but we

were denied entry — it’s considered an excursion and was fully booked.

No matter. We found two lounge chairs and an umbrella at South Beach and relaxed the morning away.

The island is impressive — lush landscaping, trams, pools, water parks, and beaches everywhere.

Back on the ship around 12:30, we tried to check in for our Delta flight, only to find we couldn’t. While on hold for an hour, we packed. Delta eventually resolved the issue by reissuing our tickets.

Lunch was a nice stir‑fry noodle dish with shrimp. We split up for a bit, then met in the Retreat to hand out additional tips there and at Luminae, where we enjoyed our last dinner aboard — a delicious filet mignon. We called it an early night for our early rise.

Day 15 Mia

Up most of the night, so the 5:15 alarm wasn’t exactly welcome. We took our carry‑ons to Luminae when it opened at 6:30. While there, we received an alert that our 11 AM flight was delayed to 12:06 — at least we didn’t need to rush.

We left the ship around 7:45, found our luggage, but didn’t see a porter, so we strapped up and headed to Customs. Facial recognition was quick and easy. Outside, we found cover from the pouring rain, we texted our driver, who had been in the area since 7:15. He swung by, and

shortly after 8 we were on our way to Miami Airport, about 20 minutes away. The skycap tagged our bags, and we headed to TSA. No lines, but I was randomly checked for my shoes — passed successfully. Once inside, it was hurry up and wait. It was 8:30. I grabbed coffee and a blueberry muffin to share. Randi mentioned to a TSA agent that she spotted a suspicious package in a trash can. Within minutes, the entire can was removed. She picked up pinwheels for lunch on the aircraft. We pushed back from the gate at 12:50 and had a bumpy start to the flight, but it eventually smoothed out.

We arrived at JFK about 90 minutes later than expected, but luggage recovery was quick. Our driver met us right away, and we settled in for a long two‑hour ride home — about double what it should have been, but we’re not letting that get us down. What we’ll remember is the great time we had on the beautiful Beyond!

Survey Week 1

Once we were dropped at priority check‑in, boarding was a breeze. We moved through security with no issues, approached the check‑in desk, and within two minutes we were on our way.

Blu was the setting for the Zenith lunch, and it was the nicest Zenith lunch we’ve attended. Julie hosted, with Sunshine — another customer service officer — seated on the opposite side of the table, along with 11 original Zeniths. Kudos to whoever made the decision to reserve this lunch strictly for original Zeniths. The conversation was excellent, the food was outstanding, and Julie was an exceptional host.

Last night, there was a banging noise in the ceiling when the seas became a little rough. We had the same experience on Ascent, so I called the Concierge and asked that maintenance check the room while we were away in San Juan. The noise seems to have subsided, but the seas have been calm, so time will tell.

Prime Cut Steakhouse was our specialty restaurant this cruise. We had a lovely evening, but we both agreed that Luminae offers the same quality without the additional cost. The meal was a bit disappointing, especially since we were treating a couple for their 50th wedding anniversary. They, too, preferred dining in Luminae.

Survey Week 2

All the Retreat concierges went above and beyond for us. Bravo to the entire team!!

The staff in Luminae operated like a well‑oiled machine. This begins with their team leader, Zahn, who is one of the most outgoing, friendly, and accommodating maître d’s we’ve sailed with. His team — including our waiter Budi, assistants Tash and Desire, and Mariz — were all wonderful. One of the hardest‑working members of the Luminae staff is the table setter, Veronica.

One issue that was very noticeable on this cruise was the number of discarded food trays and plates left outside stateroom doors. It was unsightly and potentially a tripping hazard. Either way, it did not reflect Celebrity’s usual standard of excellence and should be addressed.

Rotating the food items in the Retreat Lounge would add variety to the snack offerings, which tend to be the same each day.

I would like the following to reach the Restaurant Manager: The food in Luminae was superb throughout the cruise, as was the service on the Retreat Sundeck. Everything was prepared perfectly and served hot. Special requests were never an issue — Budi was always eager to please. All the staff who assisted us, including Tash, Desire, Ella, and Mariz, were consistently helpful. This is a credit to Zahn’s leadership. P.S. We visited Prime Cut Steakhouse for our cousins’ anniversary. We had a lovely time, but we all agreed that Luminae offers the same quality without the added cost.

Is there a way to know in advance — before packing — whether there will be theme nights such as a Sparkle Party or White Night? We always seem to be late to the party and not dressed for it because we’re unaware.

Franz, Nathan, and Putu provided excellent service on the Retreat Sundeck.

/It's hard to say good-bye!

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