Blu Diners - It's Time to Revolt

[bardstowntraveller]

All of this discussion about diners showing up late in Blu reinforces my original premise that Select Dining is needed in Blu. If everyone in Blu wanted traditional dining, there would be no need to deviate from the traditional dining hours.

 

I'm with Elaine. Hopefully, once they have successfully rolled out Select Dining in the MDR, they will introduce it to Blu as well. Luckily, my next cruise will be on the Eclipse which will be the last ship to have introduced Select Dining.

[Phxazzcruisers]

Yes, we have eaten on Blu on the Solstice and the Equinox. We know the Matre D' and Assistant. I agree that they have all bent over backwards for the guests, even those arriving LATE, it is the policy of Celebrity, but THEY and the other guests in the restaurant that we have been with all feel it is just plain RUDE. If the guest arrives at 8:00 the waiter has to get them fed and happy and out in time to turn the table for the 9:00 guest that expects service. If you, or they want any time dining, just go to the MDR or buffet. Part of the Blu experience is the traditional dining. I bet you were one of the couples that wore shorts to Blu on formal night.

MY LAST POST ON THIS MATTER. Y'all just don't get it and probably never will.....

[Cruise Junky]

Yes, we have eaten on Blu on the Solstice and the Equinox. We know the Matre D' and Assistant. I agree that they have all bent over backwards for the guests, even those arriving LATE, it is the policy of Celebrity, but THEY and the other guests in the restaurant that we have been with all feel it is just plain RUDE. If the guest arrives at 8:00 the waiter has to get them fed and happy and out in time to turn the table for the 9:00 guest that expects service. If you, or they want any time dining, just go to the MDR or buffet. Part of the Blu experience is the traditional dining. I bet you were one of the couples that wore shorts to Blu on formal night.

MY LAST POST ON THIS MATTER. Y'all just don't get it and probably never will.....

 

Do you know for absolute certainty that those suite guests haven't been told to show up when they feel like it?

[npsh]

Sounds like a spot where I can enjoy a good single malt(Lagavulin or Talisker) before dinner!

:D

[Orator]

Here's another option to add to the list of dining options. Perhaps the course being served for late comers should start with the course being served to others.

[Gracie115]

Yes, we have eaten on Blu on the Solstice and the Equinox. We know the Matre D' and Assistant. I agree that they have all bent over backwards for the guests, even those arriving LATE, it is the policy of Celebrity, but THEY and the other guests in the restaurant that we have been with all feel it is just plain RUDE. If the guest arrives at 8:00 the waiter has to get them fed and happy and out in time to turn the table for the 9:00 guest that expects service. If you, or they want any time dining, just go to the MDR or buffet. Part of the Blu experience is the traditional dining. I bet you were one of the couples that wore shorts to Blu on formal night.

MY LAST POST ON THIS MATTER. Y'all just don't get it and probably never will.....

 

Agree if you have set dining time you should arrive on time. But to equate a late comer with someone who happens to enjoy Select Dining as "the ones who showed up in shorts on formal night" is absurd and insulting to those who prefer a different option. What YOU don't get is that choice is not a bad thing....showing up late IS and that would be the case if you had a set time for traditional dining OR a reservation for Select Dining and showed up late for it. Select Dining guests are not pariahs and horrible people just because they choose to eat when they want. If Select Dining is never set up for Blu then that's fine, we'll stay with traditional AND we'll show up on time, but we'd prefer the Select Dining option and, oh by the way, we'll have all our formal duds on on formal night regardless of which option we are using for that cruise.....

[satchiesmom]

Here's another option to add to the list of dining options. Perhaps the course being served for late comers should start with the course being served to others.

 

:D!!!! Great idea!!! I wonder how many of these posters who think it's perfectly ok to disrupt other diners and the waitstaff are those who feel it's ok to park in handicapped slots when not physically challenged because it's "just for a minute" to show up at 9:05 pm and expect to be served in a shop that closes at 9 pm . . . and so on. They can inconvenience others so that they won't be inconvenieced. Very rude and inconsiderate of others. If you want open seating then eat in the MDR, or even better cruise with a line that offers open seating in all venues such as Oceania.

[Cruise Junky]

If you want open seating then eat in the MDR, or even better cruise with a line that offers open seating in all venues such as Oceania.

 

Or HAL, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Azamara, pretty much every line except Celebrity.

[dkjretired]

Or HAL, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Azamara, pretty much every line except Celebrity.

 

They just announced the Select dining last week, why not give them a chance to implement it and get the bugs out of the system..

[Denny01]

What is it with the spat of recent 'Revolt' and 'Protest' threads? The price for cruises are at a all-time low, all kinds of deal and reductions, and we keep getting these titled threads.

 

 

One guy gets upset because they take away his Ouzo he tries to bring onboard, another thinks the drinks are too expensive and will make him a pauper. This post was very odd in being titled 'Revolt' about a program just being introduced to expand our options, and wants us to write in suggested changes to add Select to Bu. Revolt with letters of suggestion??

 

 

I realize what the OP is trying to get across, and for those that agree, write in and suggest. Great idea, but can we stop with the 'I'm angry and I'm not going to take it anymore', or calls for 'Revolutions' and 'Protests' over voluntary vacationing? We start to sound like a bunch of petulant teenage boys (because its almost always us guys) – no insult meant to our mature teens.

 

 

Now as to Blu dining times, I think it would really help if each poster told us if they'd actually used Blu. We are getting a lot of opinions and a lot of it sounds like the poster hasn't experienced Blu and is just stating their opinion on Traditional over Select, or 'I read in one post...'.

 

 

An example is the, 'Its OK to show up late in Blu because the staff says its OK'. Is this someone who actually did this? People enter the MDR late – usually they close the entry up after a while, but we do tend to wander in late at times, and nothing is said. Not having used Blu, I'd guess since the staff are professionals, they aren't going to respond to the 'can we come in 1hr after the time listed?' with the truly appropriate: 'Sure, we just list those times for the fun of it, you Idiot!!' Just my guess or how the staff would like to respond.

 

 

But I could be wrong and they just love to serve people out of sequence, have to rush to get the table set for the next group so someone doesn't complain about dirty dishes at a table near them and so on. If it becomes open time dining then all is well and all know its just like a restaurant on shore – not knocking it. But it is either a set dining time within reason, or come in as you wish.

 

 

Denny

[Cruise Junky]

They just announced the Select dining last week, why not give them a chance to implement it and get the bugs out of the system..

 

I agree with you. Just pointing out that a line like Oceania isn't the only option if you want Select Dining in all venues. I like the way that Celebrity is handling it actually.

[hcat]

We will be on the cruise following yours on the 28th. I would like to experience anytime dining in the future but would like to wait until all the bugs have been worked out of the system. I am looking foward to dining in Blu.

 

Donna, we'll keep the ship in good shape for you...Enjoy your cruise!

 

Boy, the seating chart does show them very close together in BLU...seems the same in the MDR too!

[Amerie]

Why do people who are primarily users of other lines come to the Celebrity boards and rag on the people who love the Celebrity product, constantly trying to change or dismantle the things that we love about Celebrity?

 

Is it because they want to turn Celebrity INTO Royal Caribbean or Princess, so that they have more choice as to ships and itineraries? YOU like what YOU like. Please choose the ships that offer those choices, or come to Celebrity and enjoy what Celebrity has to offer.

 

Although I have cruised with most of the other major cruise lines, I like Celebrity best for what it offers. I can't go to RCCL or Princess and get the atmosphere or the service that I enjoy on Celebrity. So please stop trying to turn Celebrity into RCCL or any other line that YOU enjoy.

 

I wouldn't dream of going to the RCCL or Princess boards and constantly rag on the elements that I don't like just because we had one cruise on one of their ships in 2005!! It would just be plain disrespectful of the people who love the RCCL or Princess products.

[satchiesmom]

Why do people who are primarily users of other lines come to the Celebrity boards and rag on the people who love the Celebrity product, constantly trying to change or dismantle the things that we love about Celebrity?

 

Is it because they want to turn Celebrity INTO Royal Caribbean or Princess, so that they have more choice as to ships and itineraries? YOU like what YOU like. Please choose the ships that offer those choices, or come to Celebrity and enjoy what Celebrity has to offer.

 

Although I have cruised with most of the other major cruise lines, I like Celebrity best for what it offers. I can't go to RCCL or Princess and get the atmosphere or the service that I enjoy on Celebrity. So please stop trying to turn Celebrity into RCCL or any other line that YOU enjoy.

 

I wouldn't dream of going to the RCCL or Princess boards and constantly rag on the elements that I don't like just because we had one cruise on one of their ships in 2005!! It would just be plain disrespectful of the people who love the RCCL or Princess products.

 

Very well put.

[elena7seas]

What is it with the spat of recent 'Revolt' and 'Protest' threads? The price for cruises are at a all-time low, all kinds of deal and reductions, and we keep getting these titled threads.

 

 

One guy gets upset because they take away his Ouzo he tries to bring onboard, another thinks the drinks are too expensive and will make him a pauper. This post was very odd in being titled 'Revolt' about a program just being introduced to expand our options, and wants us to write in suggested changes to add Select to Bu. Revolt with letters of suggestion??

 

 

I realize what the OP is trying to get across, and for those that agree, write in and suggest. Great idea, but can we stop with the 'I'm angry and I'm not going to take it anymore', or calls for 'Revolutions' and 'Protests' over voluntary vacationing? We start to sound like a bunch of petulant teenage boys (because its almost always us guys) – no insult meant to our mature teens.

 

 

Now as to Blu dining times, I think it would really help if each poster told us if they'd actually used Blu. We are getting a lot of opinions and a lot of it sounds like the poster hasn't experienced Blu and is just stating their opinion on Traditional over Select, or 'I read in one post...'.

 

 

An example is the, 'Its OK to show up late in Blu because the staff says its OK'. Is this someone who actually did this? People enter the MDR late – usually they close the entry up after a while, but we do tend to wander in late at times, and nothing is said. Not having used Blu, I'd guess since the staff are professionals, they aren't going to respond to the 'can we come in 1hr after the time listed?' with the truly appropriate: 'Sure, we just list those times for the fun of it, you Idiot!!' Just my guess or how the staff would like to respond.

 

 

But I could be wrong and they just love to serve people out of sequence, have to rush to get the table set for the next group so someone doesn't complain about dirty dishes at a table near them and so on. If it becomes open time dining then all is well and all know its just like a restaurant on shore – not knocking it. But it is either a set dining time within reason, or come in as you wish.

 

 

Denny

 

Hi Denny:

 

I always enjoy your replies and your point of view! I would be pleased to share a dinner table with you any time. :) Hope our paths cross one day!

[Cruise Junky]

I wouldn't dream of going to the RCCL or Princess boards and constantly rag on the elements that I don't like just because we had one cruise on one of their ships in 2005!! It would just be plain disrespectful of the people who love the RCCL or Princess products.

 

 

WTH??? I'm assuming this is aimed at me :rolleyes: I'm not the one complaining about Select Dining, nor am I complaining about it not being in Blu. I'm assuming you can read? You might want to start at the beginning and read through this thread again. Someone said Blu was too small to have any time dining, wrong, real restaurants do this all the time and I'm with Don this should be rolled out slowly and they probably will include Blu eventually. You know the Celebrity board is not your own little private club as much as some of you would like to think so. I guess you can't whine about the OP as he actually has a Celebrity cruise booked so you turn on me...NICE :eek:

 

And not that it's any of your business, but I actually have two Celebrity cruises booked right now, they're just not on my signature. And the more and more I hang out here, the more I'm not sure this is the kind of people I want to be cruising with.

[Phxazzcruisers]

Agree if you have set dining time you should arrive on time. But to equate a late comer with someone who happens to enjoy Select Dining as "the ones who showed up in shorts on formal night" is absurd and insulting to those who prefer a different option. What YOU don't get is that choice is not a bad thing....showing up late IS and that would be the case if you had a set time for traditional dining OR a reservation for Select Dining and showed up late for it. Select Dining guests are not pariahs and horrible people just because they choose to eat when they want. If Select Dining is never set up for Blu then that's fine, we'll stay with traditional AND we'll show up on time, but we'd prefer the Select Dining option and, oh by the way, we'll have all our formal duds on on formal night regardless of which option we are using for that cruise.....

 

I agree with you 100%. I have no problem if Select Dining is available. I only have an issue with people who agree to a time for traditional dining and show up at least an hour or an hour and a half late. Our cruises on Azamara were Select Dining and they were great also. I am not protesting Select Dining, just the people who attend Traditional dining and want it always their way.

[Denny01]

Hi Denny:

 

I always enjoy your replies and your point of view! I would be pleased to share a dinner table with you any time. :) Hope our paths cross one day!

 

Elena7Seas!

 

 

Thank you so much. My wife says I'm an 'acquired taste'...never asked her what that meant! Unfortunately, all of my humor is displayed through posting anonymously and at the dinner table, I hunch over my plate, scooping up the morsels and silently glare at my tablemates through my furrowed brow.

 

 

But it you think you can handle my sullen single-syllable responses, I think we will 'cross paths'.

 

 

We signed up for the Millennium Wine Cruise on 17-27 Sep 10 and it looks like you are doing the same cruise. Think this through before you commit – I run out of cuteness about the second night out.

 

 

But we'd love to join up!

 

 

Denny

[satchiesmom]

Hi Denny:

 

I always enjoy your replies and your point of view! I would be pleased to share a dinner table with you any time. :) Hope our paths cross one day!

 

I agree elena, Denny always seems to have a clear head and balanced perspective, I also would welcome sharing a table with him.

 

Susan

[Solstice23]

I think because BLU is so small it might create lines, just a thought

[elena7seas]

I agree elena, Denny always seems to have a clear head and balanced perspective, I also would welcome sharing a table with him.

 

Susan

 

And a GREAT sense of humour! :D I enjoy your perspective as well, Susan! We can ALL share a table!

 

Denny, I am hoping to be sailing on the Wine Cruise this month (ergo 2009 ;)). But we might just go on the one next year, too. There is a terrific group of people sailing on that cruise!

 

(At the moment, I don't have a reservation on the upcoming Wine Cruise, as I had to cancel our earlier reservation...our beautiful CC aft cabin on the Millennium will be enjoyed by some other lucky couple. DH can't get away from work at that time. But I'm determined to get on that cruise, so I'm hoping to make a reservation tomorrow...my first time as a single cruiser, and probably my first interior cabin. I have claustrophobia, so we'll see how cruising without a window will work for me. Someone else who suffers from the same affliction suggested I keep the TV on, so I'll give that a try).

 

Sorry for getting off-track here. :p

[Gracie115]

I agree with you 100%. I have no problem if Select Dining is available. I only have an issue with people who agree to a time for traditional dining and show up at least an hour or an hour and a half late. Our cruises on Azamara were Select Dining and they were great also. I am not protesting Select Dining, just the people who attend Traditional dining and want it always their way.

 

 

Well then we agree...people who show up late regardless of option are indeed rude and inconsiderate of both other diners and, frankly, more importantly, the staff.

[bardstowntraveller]

What is it with the spat of recent 'Revolt' and 'Protest' threads? The price for cruises are at a all-time low, all kinds of deal and reductions, and we keep getting these titled threads.

 

 

One guy gets upset because they take away his Ouzo he tries to bring onboard, another thinks the drinks are too expensive and will make him a pauper. This post was very odd in being titled 'Revolt' about a program just being introduced to expand our options, and wants us to write in suggested changes to add Select to Bu. Revolt with letters of suggestion??

 

 

I realize what the OP is trying to get across, and for those that agree, write in and suggest. Great idea, but can we stop with the 'I'm angry and I'm not going to take it anymore', or calls for 'Revolutions' and 'Protests' over voluntary vacationing? We start to sound like a bunch of petulant teenage boys (because its almost always us guys) – no insult meant to our mature teens.

 

 

Now as to Blu dining times, I think it would really help if each poster told us if they'd actually used Blu. We are getting a lot of opinions and a lot of it sounds like the poster hasn't experienced Blu and is just stating their opinion on Traditional over Select, or 'I read in one post...'.

 

 

An example is the, 'Its OK to show up late in Blu because the staff says its OK'. Is this someone who actually did this? People enter the MDR late – usually they close the entry up after a while, but we do tend to wander in late at times, and nothing is said. Not having used Blu, I'd guess since the staff are professionals, they aren't going to respond to the 'can we come in 1hr after the time listed?' with the truly appropriate: 'Sure, we just list those times for the fun of it, you Idiot!!' Just my guess or how the staff would like to respond.

 

 

But I could be wrong and they just love to serve people out of sequence, have to rush to get the table set for the next group so someone doesn't complain about dirty dishes at a table near them and so on. If it becomes open time dining then all is well and all know its just like a restaurant on shore – not knocking it. But it is either a set dining time within reason, or come in as you wish.

 

 

Denny

Maybe my choice of the word "revolt" was a little strong. But if you've read my OP, I merely suggested that those of us who are booked in AquaClass and are not happy with being excluded from Select Dining, write or call Celebrity to let them know.

 

I just cruised in AquaClass and loved everything about Blu except the dining hours. My experience in Blu may not match everyone else's but on my cruise the dining room was never more than half full any night (we had early seating) and coming in between 6:30 and 7:00 pm was very common. We didn't notice the staff or the other diners being inconvenienced by this behavior. I'm not saying this is the right thing to do, just pointing out what happened on my cruise.

 

As far as Select Dining in Blu, I would think it would be easier to implement Select Dining in Blu than in the MDR. For one thing, most of the tables are two tops so you are not inconveniencing a set table. For another, there is a partion down the middle of Blu which would allow Celebrity to divide diners between traditional and Select Dining.

 

The one thing I have learned from posting and reading threads is that there are two things that cruisers are passionate about and those are traditional dining and formal wear! Anybody want to tackle formal wear?

[satchiesmom]

Anybody want to tackle formal wear?

 

Nope! How about smoking, children or the old standby (haven't seen it in awhile tho) chair hogs? :D:p

[npsh]

"......The one thing I have learned from posting and reading threads is that there are two things that cruisers are passionate about and those are traditional dining and formal wear! Anybody want to tackle formal wear?"

 

Too Right! Dining issues and to a lesser extent (by not much, mind you) formal attire seem to predominate on this Celebrity Board. I have my opinions as to why, however its best that I hold my tongue. We are booked on a Celebrity Eastern Med. Cruise next October but thoughts of kissing it off and crawling around Banff National Park, Lake Louise are creeping forward at a faster rate as the time moves closer