Question about Blu restaurant on Eclipse

[oldmovieguy]

We are booked in Aqua Class for the Eclipse Baltic cruise next May. We have chosen open dining and have just been told that Celebrity may move us into the main Restaurant. We have assumed that the Blu restaurant was for Aqua class guests, should we book in advance?

[kitkat9438]

We are booked in Aqua Class for the Eclipse Baltic cruise next May. We have chosen open dining and have just been told that Celebrity may move us into the main Restaurant. We have assumed that the Blu restaurant was for Aqua class guests, should we book in advance?

If you want to dine in Blu you have to change your dining selection to a designated time, such as 8:30, otherwise they will remove you from Blu and put you in the MDR. It doesn't matter what time you put in as your choice, because Blu is open dining. This is from their website:

 

If I am an AquaClass guests, can I choose Celebrity Select Dining?

Subject: Celebrity Select Dining

 

Yes. You may choose Celebrity Select Dining, however, you will be seated in the Main Dining Room, and will no longer be seated in Blu.

[scotslizzy]

I am confused, we have pre paid our tips and have already agreed that if Blu is not for us then we will request MDR but not the fixed dining times we prefer to choose when to eat .So would there be a problem with this ?

 

Thanks

Scotslizzy

[Bugeye]

We chose Aqua Class because of the Blu Restaurant. If you don't like this restaurant, I would be very surprised if they could not accomodate you in the Main Dining Room.

 

They always seem to be open seats in that dining room. As for wanting a specific time, that could be more of a problem. People tend to cluster around some popular dining times and I have heard that you may have to wait for a table.

 

Karen and Jim

[anonymouscruiser1]

Lots of confusion about this issue. I did a search on the subject and the number of threads about it is huge. My understanding is AQ guests are automatically assigned to Blu, which means they cannot go to the MDR unless they make special arrangements. In being assigned to Blu as AQ guests, you are given an assigned time, early or late seating, however, this is for computer programming reasons only, and in practice when you get on board a letter will await you explaining the actual procedures, it is essentially anytime dining. If you want to go to MDR and not Blu there are two ways to accomplish this. First, you can prepay your gratuities and do Celebrity select dining, which removes you from Blu altogether. Or, you can stick with your Blu assignment, but when you get on board speak to the maitre'd at the MDR and make arrangements to dine there. There have been people who have said making that arrangement was easy, others who said they had difficulty.

 

I have not cruised yet, my cruise is this winter, but from my research, although there are Blu detractors, most consider it a step up from the MDR. It is possible to go at the same time nightly or have a flexible time. But, if you choose Select dining and prepay gratuities, you will be removed from Blu.

[oldmovieguy]

I have emailed Celebrity for clarification and will post the response, thanks for the responses.

[kitkat9438]

I am confused, we have pre paid our tips and have already agreed that if Blu is not for us then we will request MDR but not the fixed dining times we prefer to choose when to eat .So would there be a problem with this ?

 

Thanks

Scotslizzy

 

The problem is if you choose select dining when you book and prepay your tips, then you will be removed from Blu and assigned to the MDR. You will not have a choice whether to go to Blu or not. See my post above where I copied directly from Celebrity's website about this. You have to choose a dining time to be able to eat in Blu. However, if you do decide to eat in the MDR one night instead of Blu, you go on a space available basis just as you would if you had select dining. Blu is not fixed dining time, it is anytime dining. I think they like you to choose a dining time so they can get an idea of how many will dine early or late.

[oldmovieguy]

Here is the response from Celebrity just received. Took only twenty minutes for them to respond, so top marks to Celebrity.

 

Dear Sir

 

Many thanks for your email.

 

If you are booked in AQ then your dedicated restaurant is Blu.

If your agent has allocated you on CSD Celebrity Select Dining this means

you will be seated in the main

dining room and forfeit your place in Blu.

We urgently request that you contact your agent and ask them to allocate

you a dining time which means you

will be back in Blu. It does not matter which time they pick as Blu is open

dining and you can dine whenever

you wish every evening.

 

 

Regards

 

Info UK Email Team

Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises & Azamara Club Cruises

[Xport]

And several posters kindly thought I did a good and accurate job of explaining the dining options for AquaClass guests... The issue causes confusion here several times each week...

 

Here's the link; hope it's helpful...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1266867

[dkjretired]

When you arrive at your stateroom you will receive a letter which basically asks that you arrive the first night in Blu at your appointed time. If you do not wish to don't worry, it is only a request so they can get an idea of seating for the week. The letter also states that Blu is anytime dining and you may eat there at any time, just show up..

 

You must however change your dining from Select to traditional in order to be seated in Blu. They will check your card against the computer the first night. This has caused a lot of confusion over the past several months and there have been numerous threads on this issue. Most TAs don't even know about this...