ebtrip

On 11/6/2023 at 1:26 PM, mrgabriel said:

We have always been told NO but we have not sailed on E-class ships. 

 

But if you want the menu in MDR, could you just eat in the MDR? Seems like a lot of work for the wait staff to have to go to another kitchen - even if it is close by. 

Was on the Equinox in Sept had no problem ordering from the MDR

Was on the Equinox in September. We sail Aqua so Blu was our dining room. Service was exceptional and most times food was very good. My only complaint was 3 nights I ordered from MDR because the choices were limited on the Blu menu. There is no steak on menu every night as there is on the MDR menu. Food at the buffet IMO was not as good as it has been. 

1 hour ago, MartinsCruise said:

Last year in Blu we were seated at a two-top and soon after another couple sat next to us.  He had a sleeveless undershirt on with arm holes that hung half way to his waist, a baseball hat turned backward, shorts and flip flops.  His language went from bad to worse and he became louder.  I finally told him very nicely that I didn't appreciate listening to him while I was having dinner.  He told me that he paid as much as we did to sit there so he could do what he wanted.  The Maitre'D  asked if we wanted to move but since I wasn't the problem, I told him that we shouldn't have to move.  The other couple got up and left after that.  This could have been avoided if they would not have allowed him in when he first showed up. 

Totally agree. There should be some kind of decorum in Blu. 

3 hours ago, CulverCityCruisers said:

When we were on Summit earlier this year the head waiter said that since X is part of Royal Caribbean and they allow in shorts and t shirts, they no longer say anything to anyone about dress code.  He claims that Royal guests trying X should feel welcome, so they just let it go!!

On X in Blu, it states there is a dress code. I don’t see why someone can’t put on a pair of pants and a golf shirt. This man always looked like he came in from the gym. If they’re from RCCL and there is no dress code, then go to the buffet. 

22 minutes ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

Dining in Blu, are you allowed to order items from the MDR such as onion soup, ceasar salad and the sirloin?

You can order anything from the MDR menu. 

On 9/25/2023 at 2:44 PM, PatandStu said:

This was our first X cruise after many on other cruise lines.

 

Cabin: had a regular balcony & it was fine for the 2 of us. Had continental breakfast on the balcony on sea days. Bathroom was large. Lots of storage spots in cabin. 

Entire ship a bit worn; more noticeable in some spots than others but it did not affect our enjoyment. 

Entertainment: was varied and ok for the most part. Really enjoyed the “beyond the podium” lectures and live music. 

Food: Oceanview cafe was great for breakfast & lunch because we enjoy sitting outside (aft of the ship). We could usually find something we liked. Some food was better than other, but overall not bad. 
We ate at Silhouette most nights and all but one meal was quite enjoyable. The service was stellar! We sat at the same table every night with anytime dining by making the reservation for the next night as we were leaving. Shout out to Elbert, Neil & Arlen for their excellent service that made our dinners special. 
 

Wifi: I had basic which was fine for me if not a tad slow. DH had premium which he wanted but I was ok with slow.

Drink package: we had the basic and for the most part, it was sufficient.  Several times we paid the up charge but that was certainly cheaper than upgrading to premium.

Speaking of drinks,Elvis & Hitesh at the sunset bar are 2 of the best bartenders we’ve ever encountered. We sat there in rain & wind just to hang out with these guys. Too bad the smoking area is right there! Cigars-yuck!

 

Only 2 disappointments. Firstly, why have a dress code in Silhouette if you’re not going to enforce it. Every evening we saw men & women in shorts & flip flops, even on “chic” night. It’s not that huge a deal, but to us it detracts from the more upscale dining experience that X advertises. 
 

Secondly, the biggest disappointment was Murano.  The service was not great-we felt as though we were bothering them. The food was ok but not stellar. We had a late seating & felt very rushed. To the point that the cheese course was never presented. We made them aware we were celebrating our anniversary & it was not acknowledged at all. The waiters all made a big production of a birthday at an adjacent table so we know they do celebrations.

 

Overall, we will certainly sail with X again, likely on an S class ship. We liked the size and don’t miss the theme park extras. 

I was on the same cruise and forgot to mention in my questionnaire that in Blu, there was a couple that the man was in shorts and t shirt every night but chic. A big disappointment that they were allowed in. Years ago when there was the happy hour in the sky lounge we went straight from an excursion. My husband was in shorts, they made him change to pants. 

43 minutes ago, tnm6217 said:

 

I was on this cruise and I don't believe this is quite accurate. You have to "purchase" the on demand movies, but they are all free. I watched two during the sailing and never received any charges on my account.

Well thanks for the info, wish we knew that during the cruise, but didn’t know that when they asked to pay it was free. 

2 hours ago, SeaNutria said:

Any observations on Persian Gardens? Crowded, clean, quiet, best times to go? 

 

Thx! 

Sorry ,but we never use the Persian Garden. 

4 hours ago, miched said:

 

There is no rule about no children in Blu or AQ.   There are AQ suites that allow more than 2 passengers, so families book them with their  children.    Some family’s also book 2 AQ cabins when sailing with their children.    Anyone in a suite can also dine in Blu, space permitting.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

I’m sure ur right, but in all my past cruises never had kids in Blu. Have had families but all adults

52 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

re: Steak --     Did you ask about the Petite Fillet on the Children's Menu?   Usually that is available in All Dining Rooms from MDR up to Retreat.

Did not know about that, as there are no children in blu.

our cruise was 8 nights.
You can order anything from the MDR. Had the onion soup a couple of times as well as the shrimp cocktail. 
I forgot to mention that our champagne was in the refrigerator, no Ice bucket or champagne glasses.  Our room steward was not the best. We got the glasses from a bar.

with basic internet we could not send pix, could not text, had to use what’s ap, or Facebook messager. Could receive emails.  Never had this problem before. Said we needed to upgrade. Not necessary for us.  We were on Viking Ocean in March and was able to video chat with my children in the middle of the Atlantic and u don’t pay for internet. 
When in Blu, please send our love to a wonderful assistant Zhanna, from Russia. She will remember us. Just tell her Elaine from California. 
 

Just off Equinox and was ask by fellow CC to post my impressions. 

Im not going to give my Opinions of the cruise, but the shipboard experience. We haven’t been on Celebrity since January 2020. We are Elite Plus. 
Upon boarding, no more champagne welcome.  
Movies are now pay on demand for current selections. 
no canapés in the afternoon. 
Wifi was terrible..we had basic.

We were in Aqua Class cabin 1605.  I was asked if deck 11 would be noisy with pool deck on 12. Our cabin was on the hump. Heard music one night and during one early evening some moving of furniture. Never heard anything during the night. Great location. And YES, chocolates were on the pillows every night.

Now for Blu, service was impeccable. Never had a wait.  The filet mignon was exceptional, the lobster (with no limits) was sweet and tender. Rack of lamb, delicious   My disappointment was that 3 out of 8 nights I ordered from the MDR. Blu doesn’t have a steak on the menu every night.. the offers were pork, veal, lamb etc.  One evening the Maitre De made a special shrimp dish for me. As I said the service was outstanding. 

Hope this helps, yes I probably would book Aqua again (depending on cost) if booking Celebrity, but may go back to Holland and see how they are doing. 
bon voyage 

1 hour ago, IBsaved said:

We got off a 12 day cruise on the Summit less than 2 weeks ago.  We were in Aqua Class and it is not what we expected.  We have sailed in AQ many times and since Covid it has gone down hill.  The menu daily was lackluster in Blue.  Our cabin was nice but we never got our robes, our welcome bottle of champagne and we had to ask for our 2 bottles of water.  In 12 days we only ate in Blu twice for dinner.  We will not travel in AQ from here on out unless things change.  

In Florida right now, will board Equinox tomorrow. I’ll cross my fingers in hopes it’s as good as it has been. 

57 minutes ago, govanguy said:

You'll have to try the meat loaf on the Blu menu...........

I don’t think so, not my favorite on a cruise

On 9/6/2023 at 12:15 PM, XuGator said:

Every time we book a cruise, we always book the all included which comes with wifi, drinks , tips and on board credit. Our OBC shows up fine in the cruise personalizer but we can never figure out how to upgrade our drinks from the classic to the premium package. It should just be 15-20 bucks a day or something but when we click on drink packages, the only options that appear are ones to purchase the package for the full price. There doesn't seem to be an "upgrade" option. We have had to call in every time in the past to get this added but it would be nice to do this online. Does anyone know if this is possible or what we are missing? The planner never seems to detect that we have a drink package at all. Thank you for any insight

Don’t know when your cruise is, but I waited for a sale. Paid $10.00 pp plus gratuity. I called celebrity and they upgraded us. 

7 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

 

This seems to be a pattern among all mass market cruise lines as the buffet and even MDR experiences are being downgraded.  Good food is no longer "included".  You have to pay for it.  I'll continue to book Aqua Class, but stop booking Celebrity if Blu goes downhill.

We leave on Saturday on Equinox. Always book Aqua. Hope Blu is as great as it has always been.  Last time we sailed X was January 2920.  Have sailed 4 times on Viking Ocean since then.  They were great. A very different experience than X. As Elite Plus, we have a booking on Azamara,  which will be our second cruise with them, and we are Discovery Plus, so have gotten our Elite Plus perks. 

Definitely Murano. We leave on Saturday for Caribbean on the Equinox. This is our 4th time on her. Haven’t been on X since 2020. Hope we are not disappointed, as we have been sailing on X since 2008. 

13 hours ago, SusieAV8R said:

oops boarding Equinox on Saturday.  (Flying down to Ft. Lauderdale on Tbhirs.)

We’re on the same cruise. 

We leave next week for the Caribbean on the Equinox. Had booked the Beyond but found out Aqua on had IV cabins so cancelled. Haven’t sailed on X since January 2020.  Sailed 4 times on Viking Ocean, have a Japan cruise booked on Azamara for next year. As elite plus and a loyal X cruiser after next weeks cruise I will determine if the cuts that X has implemented will affect us in Aqua class. 

1 minute ago, hubofhockey said:

We loved our Azamara cruise before Covid.  I am very nervous about them now with a new owner, a private equity firm, with no experience in the industry and the conversion of software and booking info has been a horror show.  We canceled our cruise with them and took a different itinerary with Oceania (the new Vista) for peace of mind.  We also only book Aqua because we like the food and service in Blu.  The MDR on Celebrity is below what we want on a cruise.

Agree, with the difficulties of IT. I booked with an online agency I’ve used for years, and they have included my air and hotel package. This part is not from Azamara. Final payment is due next month and I intend to get my travel insurance with default clause. You never know.  I remember when Renaissance Cruises, (which are Azamaras ships) went under. 

I am sailing on the Equinox in 2 weeks, cancelled the Beyond because of IV staterooms. Haven’t been on X since January 2020, and always book Aqua class. As Elite Plus I will decide after this cruise if we will sail with X again. Booked on Azamara again for next year, sailed 4 times on Viking Ocean in the past. Always loved Celebrity and hope the changes I see are not significant. 

Just booked Blackjack tournament with the discount for my husband and myself. Never thought of doing it in advice. 

2 minutes ago, rbcruise52 said:

I'd love to hear about your experience when you sail in 3 weeks, please post when you return.

I will. Interested to see what changes have occurred. Haven’t sailed on X since

January 2020. Sailed 3 times since then on Viking Ocean. This may be our last with them. On Azamara next year, which will be our 2nd cruise with them. 

We have been on deck 11 on the Equinox and never had a problem. We sail again in 3 weeks in cabin 1605 extended balcony. I’ll let u know if there’s a noise issue.  I have no concerns 

Had booked the Beyond for our upcoming cruise in 3 weeks.  When I found out the Aqua class was IV, I canceled that cruise and change to my old time favorite Equinox. X is catering to the younger generation.  Us old timers are being left behind.  We’ve been sailing on X since 2007, after many years with Princess and Holland.  The past 2 years we’ve  sailed on Viking Ocean 4 times and will be cruising our 2nd time in March on Azamara in Japan.