Mooring News 10/4/26
♪ Bing-bong, bing-bong ♪
Good morning, fellow Cruise Sea-kers.
Today, we begin with a serious maritime story. Then Carnival has put a new ship in the water, and we are taking a proper look at one of Celebrity Cruises’ most misunderstood restaurants.
Let’s get underway.
A Russian attack struck a Liberian-flagged cargo ship at a Ukrainian port in the Odesa region Saturday.
According to Ukrainian port authorities, one person was killed and three others were injured. Thirteen crew members were evacuated safely.
The attack comes amid renewed strikes against Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, disrupting the shipping routes used to export grain, steel and other goods.
This was not a passenger or cruise ship. However, it is an important reminder that civilian mariners continue working in extremely dangerous waters while carrying the goods that keep much of the world moving.
The link to read more will be at the bottom or in the comments.
In happier ship news, Carnival Festivale has touched water for the first time.
The new Excel-class ship was floated inside Meyer Werft’s enormous enclosed shipbuilding facility in Germany. The process allowed the shipyard to reposition Festivale and make room for another vessel under construction.
The 5,200-passenger ship is scheduled to begin sailing from Port Canaveral in May 2027, offering six- to eight-night Caribbean cruises.
The family area will include Carnival’s largest water park, with six slides, splash pads and shaded play areas.
Festivale will have music-themed spaces, which seems appropriate. If you name a ship Festivale, passengers will expect more than one fellow playing quietly near the elevators.
Now, let’s talk about one of the most misunderstood specialty restaurants at sea: Murano.
Not Muranos, as I keep calling it. Just Murano. Apparently, it is elegant enough that it does not require the extra letter.
Murano is Celebrity Cruises’ French Continental specialty restaurant.
People see the white tablecloths, hear “French cuisine” and assume they need formalwear, an advanced knowledge of wine and written permission from France before ordering dinner.
That is not what Murano is about.
First, let’s remove some of the intimidation.
The dress code is smart casual, not “borrow a tuxedo and pretend you understand French.” A cover charge applies, and Murano is currently found aboard Celebrity Eclipse, Equinox, Reflection, Solstice and Silhouette.
Silhouette also happens to be carrying a large group of Cruise Sea-kers from Boston to Fort Lauderdale later this month.
We hope to meet each and every one of you in person.
And now that I have told everyone about Murano, apparently, we may all be meeting outside the restaurant while fighting for reservations.
The menu combines classic French dishes with contemporary touches. Some signature dishes are prepared tableside, and the restaurant has its own dedicated galley.
I had the opportunity to speak with Marjan, the maître d’, and asked what mindset guests should bring if they want to get the most from the experience.
His advice was simple: Do not arrive with a pile of expectations. Sit down, let go and allow the staff to take you on a journey.
The experience is not limited to what arrives on the plate.
Ingredients may be introduced, their preparation explained and, if you are interested, the staff might even tell you the history of the radish sitting in front of you.
A radish has a history. Who knew?
Marjan described the maître d’ as your “food ambassador,” and I think that explains Murano better than any advertisement could.
The crew members who serve in Murano are specially selected and trained for the role. It is considered a coveted assignment, and that pride shows in the service.
They are not simply delivering courses. They are guiding the pace, explaining the ingredients and helping shape the entire experience.
The stage is not located at the front of the room. The entire restaurant is the stage.
The preparation, plating, tableside service, conversation and atmosphere all become part of the performance. You are not simply watching it, either. The guest is at the center of it.
That does not mean Murano is stuffy or waiting for you to use the wrong fork.
In fact, the formality is not there to judge the guest. It allows the crew to focus on the guest.
If the back of your chair is uncomfortable, they will find you a pillow. If you dislike capers, tell them. Your satisfaction is of the utmost importance
Your dish is individually prepared, and they would rather adjust it than watch you politely relocate every caper to the far side of the plate.
Your enjoyment is not an interruption to their service. It is the entire reason for it.
So, what might you eat?
Celebrity’s linked sample menu includes starters such as creamy Maine lobster bisque, warm goat-cheese soufflé, porcini and morel risotto, or a scallop baked Wellington-style in puff pastry with black-truffle emulsion.
That is a very sophisticated way of saying the scallop dressed considerably better for dinner than I did.
Entrées may include Dover sole Véronique,(veh-roh-NEEK) prepared with green grapes and brown butter; herb-crusted rack of lamb; duck breast with duck-leg confit; Mediterranean sea bass; or Châteaubriand for two.
Then there is the signature Murano lobster: a cold-water lobster tail flambéed with cognac and prepared with fresh basil, applewood-smoked bacon and Dijon cream.
Yes, it is prepared tableside.
If somebody wheels a cart toward me carrying lobster and fire, they officially have my complete attention.
Guests may also choose an artisan cheese course. Celebrity promotes a six-course Five Senses tasting menu with wine pairings, and sample desserts include Valrhona cocoa cake and Grand Marnier soufflé.
Menus vary and can change by ship and sailing, so consider that a sample rather than a sworn statement regarding the future location of the lobster.
The one thing you should not bring to Murano is a rushed schedule.
Cruises train us to fear that something wonderful is happening somewhere else.
While eating dinner, we are thinking about trivia. During trivia, we are wondering whether we should already be in the theater. At the show, we are checking to see when the silent disco starts.
Murano asks you to stop chasing the ship for one evening.
Do not book dinner immediately before a show and then spend the meal checking your watch. This is not dinner you squeeze into the empty space between two activities.
Murano is the activity.
If you rush through it because trivia starts in 20 minutes, you have not saved 20 minutes. You have paid for Murano and missed Murano.
Some guests will naturally prefer a faster, more casual meal, and there is nothing wrong with that. Murano may not be for everybody on every evening.
But if you enjoy attentive service, beautifully prepared food and an experience that is allowed to unfold instead of being fired from a cannon, make the reservation.
Give it the evening. Ask questions. Let your food ambassador guide you.
And if you want the complete history of the radish, apparently, they have that covered too.
That is today’s Mooring News.
This information was current when recorded, but cruise lines, ports, menus and authorities can change course without notice. Always verify details against your specific reservation before making changes.
Until next time, haze gray and underway.
Bye-bye!
SOURCES AND MORE INFORMATION — NOT READ ALOUD
Comments