Aqua Class Pricing ---is it worth the $

[Gracie115]

I was recently booked on AQ class for Equinox in April... The price at booking (and currently) was $1,699 (plus taxes) per person... I recently started having second thoughts about the value of the AQ class and whether or not I really wanted to pay that much just for the few added perks... Sure Blu sounds great but I've never had a problem with MDR on any ship and we want to visit some specialty restaurants too.. and from the reviews it sounds like a party of 6 is going to have a hard time getting lounge beds in the persian garden area etc and we are much more likely to be by the pool...

 

The current price is $1,249 for a verandah (plus tax)(senior/military discount). A few days ago we made the decision to downgrade. Thats a $900 difference per couple, we are going with 2 other couples so a savings reduction of $2,700 for the 3 cabins. Also, when we re-booked, we were able to score $915 of perks (OBCs and pre paid gratuities) between the three cabins so basically a total savings of $3,615...

 

 

I think we really made the right decision and that $3,615 will be well spent on specialty restaurants and excursions etc... I'm VERY happy with the decision

 

 

You should be with that much in savings and with so many staterooms involved. Plus the savings you got with OBC and all...we may well have done the same....but if it was just US, we'd stick with AQ and Blu...

[Janet987]

Since I have only sailed in AQ I don't know if those videos are also available to cabins in non AQ and if they are than they aren't a benefit exclusive to AQ.

 

.

 

Yes, the meditation/yoga videos are exclusive to AQ. A special channel on the interactive TV.

[nikel]

You will have to be Elite to get Spa coupons, but even those are nothing to get excited about.

 

 

 

They are not tangible spa coupons, only discounts, plus one use for the persian gardens, but only on a port day while the ship is in port.

[librarylady19]

Blu and Persian Gadens are why we will always sail AQ. I was very disappointed in the cabin service on our most recent cruise. We did not get a fruit basket, dirty glasses were not removed and we had to ask for towels to take off ship. We didnt even try to order breakfast on the balcony as we were on the go so much. We spent so little time in our cabin, I didn't bother to report this to Housekeeping (I did note the issues on the comment card and did not leave an extra tip). This was honestly the only negative in an otherwise wonderful cruise.

[bob brown]

We just got back from the Silhouette last Saturday. We were looking for an accessible cabin, and the only one available was in Aqua class, which we normally would not take.

We thouroughly enjoyed the Aqua class experience. From checkin at Bayonne until disembarking, it was neat being treated as if we were in a suite. The legrests on the balcony, the bottled water, the fruit basket (they even brought us delicious table grapes when requested), the access to the relaxation room and the 'secret stairway' to the spa, the wonderful heated loungers in the Persian Garden thermal suite, the proximity to the Aqua Spa Cafe, the big towels and bathrobes, the slippers, the binoculars and pair of umbrellas, the iced tea, the 'aromatherapy', the pillow selection, and other amenities the sum of which all added to the 'upscale' experience.

And then there is Blu.:cool:

The nice intimate room with fantastic service and food. Why pay $40. to eat at a Specialty restaurant, when you can get such great food in Blu?

And if what's on the menu is not to your liking, they will go to great lengths to accommodate your wishes anyway. I enjoyed the shrimp cocktail and filet mignon so much, that my waitperson suggested I order it a day before I wanted it again. So I did. Four more times!

And if the desserts didn't appeal to me, they would run down to the MDR galley to get me a slice of their delicious cheese cake. It seems strange to me that the AQ passengers get better dining experience than those in full suites.

 

So to answer the question---is it worth it? What do you think?;)

[miched]

Deleted

[miched]

Doing c1 stern cabin overlooking the stern of the ship.. have cruised 20 times before but had never had such a cabin... Anyone give us some pointers///pro or cons

 

thanks

 

 

 

Don't piss in the wind ( Over the rail )

 

Don't miss the ship.

 

Lock your balcony door

 

Put your valuables in the safe.

 

And etc, it is no different than any other balcony. What are you expecting? :confused:

[pris993]

We will be on the Eclipse in March, have AQ for the 1st time. How much we like BLU will really determine whether we book Celebrity in the future. We have not liked the MDR when we cruise on the Equniox in 2009. We found the MDR noisy, crowd, service slow and food less than impressive and inconsistent.

[ccletzgo]

It sounds like the value of Blu is totally worth the cabin price differential. But, there have been some comments lately that make me wonder about the AQ cabin locations -- each of them seems to have noise issues. Could it be that this was X's way to move some less desirable cabins?

 

That is exactly why they came up with the "Concierge" cabins on M class ships. I was on the second sailing of the Millie. (the first M class ship) The deck nine balcony cabins, were just that, balcony cabins. priced more because they were longer. The noise was almost unbearable. (under the pool deck) If it were not for the fact that my kids were booked in an inside cabin on a lower deck I would have lost my mind.:eek: I used there cabin to take naps during the day. The over hang and the beams were obnoxious. I felt like I was in a cave on my veranda. If I remember correctly, it was within a year that those undesirable deck nine cabins were changed to Concierge Class;);)

[miXterOB]

We will be on the Eclipse in March, have AQ for the 1st time. How much we like BLU will really determine whether we book Celebrity in the future. We have not liked the MDR when we cruise on the Equinox in 2009. We found the MDR noisy, crowd, service slow and food less than impressive and inconsistent.

 

My money is betting you will love Blu.

We have just completed our second Aqua class cruise and put down a deposit on the third for next year's holiday season. We love AQ for precisely the reasons you stated you disliked MDR. Tables are not too tight...unless you want them that way, food is much more creative and just better quality, service is lightyears ahead of MDR, managers are personable and concerned, clientele is nicer, it's just far more intimate and enjoyable.

 

Hope you enjoy AQ & Blu as much as we have

[ISABELLA]

They are not tangible spa coupons, only discounts, plus one use for the persian gardens, but only on a port day while the ship is in port.

 

Persian is free for AQ.

[Cruise a holic]

Although I agree that AQ with the Blu was very nice I cannot imagine paying $65 a day per person for the category. $780 for a 12 day cruise per person? Of course I guess it depends "over what"? $780 more person over an inside or oceanview perhaps, but certainly not over a CC.

 

OP, IMO the $25 would be more in line with my limit.

 

We actually paid less for Aqua Class then for CC class! Booked through Amex well in advance. It is well worth the extra just to dine in Blu! The cabins also have some extra perks. Very nice amenities. I would suggest that you try different travel agencies.

[S.O.C.I.O.C.A.T.s]

We booked Celebrity Infinity a year ago for the April-may Panama Canal repositioning to Seattle. Booked a Concierge class balcony. A month ago I saw the Aqua upgrade was only $100 and upgraded. For that price, it is worth it given all the comments I have seen:)

[cheryl20772]

Persian is free for AQ.

Yes, it's free every day for the entire cruise for AquaClass.

[jagoffee]

We actually paid less for Aqua Class then for CC class! Booked through Amex well in advance. It is well worth the extra just to dine in Blu! The cabins also have some extra perks. Very nice amenities. I would suggest that you try different travel agencies.

 

I was just responding to the OP that was asking whether we thought that it was worth those prices. I have cruised in AQ once and really enjoyed the experience. I would book it again if the price was right and I was not traveling with other people that were not in AQ.

 

I certainly agree with your statement and have the same opinion.

[CruisingClaire]

We just got back from the Celebrity Eclipse 12/17 - 12/24/11. This was our 10th cruise (Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival); first time on Celebrity. We loved Aqua Class and the Blu restaurant was a highlight of our vacation.

 

We had cabin 1501 (11th floor), farthest to the front next to the relaxation room. We never heard people exercising in the gym.

 

Perks we loved:

- Aqua class Priority boarding - right after the Suites. We arrived at 9:00 am and around 11:30 am, they let us board. They called people with Suites, then Aqua class, so we were the first people in Aqua class to check in.

 

- Two to four bottles of Italian bottled water for free. I took the two bottles in the morning and put them in the refrigerator to chill and in the evening, two more bottles. The water, soda, and liquor in the refrigerator were not free.

 

- Large rounded shower with normal hand-held shower head plus adjustable shower heads with calf, thigh, and butt sprays. If you ever got sand in your pants, this will cure it. The only bad thing was my husband is much taller than me, so when he adjusted the leg and butt spray, they sprayed my chest and face when I hadn't adjusted it for myself.

 

- Welcome bottle of champagne and bowl of fresh fruit (apples, oranges, grapes). Canapes - brie, ham, and grape leaf one. Daily canapes were also available for free, but you had to indicate the time you would be in your cabin and be there to receive them.

 

- Ice tea in the room. The relaxation room also had lemon/orange water (if it wasn't empty) and hot water for tea.

 

- Pillow selection menu - we didn't use that.

 

- Relaxation room was never full and made for a nice lounge area to do some late night reading so I didn't disturb my husband.

 

- Down the main hall from the relaxation room, past the treatment rooms is the spiral staircase to the Persian Garden upstairs. You had to give your room key to get a key to the garden. Half a dozen tiled, heated lounge chairs. Some were lukewarm, some were hotter. To really feel the heat, you had to lay directly on the chairs without a towel. To the left was a good steam, aromatherapy steam room. To the right was a sauna, but it wasn't very hot. There were also two sets of fancy showers - rain forest and rain. The rain forest had an infrared light and more pounding type of water.

 

- Our favorite perk - anytime dining at Blu. We had selected 8:30 pm and the first night, we received a card asking us to come at that time. Other nights, we arrived between 8 - 9:00 pm. I think the latest time is 9:30 pm. The food was gourmet, small portions, delicious and without heavy sauces. Although the portions were small, such as the appetizers, we always were very full by the time we left. To start, you get a small red/orange/yellow bowl of fresh vegetables (carrots, celery, radishes, cauliflower) and a ranch type dip and hummus. Freshly baked breads and breadsticks. Butter shaped in a rose shape. Appetizers, soups, and salads were small, artistic, interesting and you of course, could always order two of something. The daily menu changed but there were also staples such as salmon and NY strip. For entrees, we had a lovely duck, ahi tuna, filet mignon, and lobster (served one night).

Dessert was made more enjoyable by an addition of ice cream. To get similar ice cream elsewhere in on the ship, you had to pay for it, although the Oceanview Cafe had some flavors, they were not the same.

 

For breakfast (it was not open for lunch except for one day at sea when they also served brunch), you could get an assortment of freshly squeezed fruit juices - grapefruit or orange from the waiter with the tray or a variety of fresh fruit smoothies from the menu. The morning after our Qsine specialty dinner, I just had four smoothies and an OJ. In addition to eggs or an omelette (with eggs or egg whites), you could get an assortment of fillings, cheddar, provolone, ham, spinach, onion, shallots, green peppers, etc. Also, in addition to the normal breakfast meats (bacon, ham, sausage), they also offered steamed tofu for a side. The eggs were served for a few new potatoes and asparagus.

 

The Blu service was four or five star. They were always smiling, friendly, fast, efficient. Unlike the normal large dining room tables, we always sat in a table for two and didn't have to wait for 6 or 8 other people to be served at our table before us.

 

In the rooms, there were binoculars, a hair dryer, and a lightweight cloth bag (good for carting things to the pool). Later, the room steward left a very nice, larger zippered bag that came in a snapable pouch that could be used for smaller items in the bag.

 

The balcony had two reclining chairs and footstools and a table. Princess and Royal Caribbean didn't serve hot breakfast items last time we cruised with them, so I was very happy to see I could order room service breakfast - eggs, omelettes, hash browns, sausage/bacon, yogurt, a melon plate, a berry plate and enjoy breakfast on the balcony as we pulled into an island port which saved time in the morning.

 

We loved Aqua Class and in particular the Blu restaurant was the highlight of our trip. Gourmet, fresh food, excellent service. I wish we had one back home!

[gymjudge55]

I am very excited that we booked this class. We were looking for a port side balcony room for an Alaskan cruise and all of the regular balcony and concierge only had starboard. We settled on 1111 and 1113 on the Millennium. The cost was less than concierge and only $50 more per WEEK per person. This was a cruisetour and included that portion. Looking on the website now it worked out to $28 per day per person for Aqua Class. We are foodies and I know we will love Blu.

[librarylady19]

what is on the menu in BLU that makes it so super compared to other restauants on Eclipse/

iam an Elite member also

thanks

 

A s others have said, the food is definitely of excellent quality, well prepared, and served by a capable, friendly staff. It's definitely enhanced the entire cruise experience.

Here's a link to recent menus.

http://eclipse2011ta.webs.com/blumenus.htm

 

I also have some food photos in my recent Eclipse review (link below):

[City_Woman]

A s others have said, the food is definitely of excellent quality, well prepared, and served by a capable, friendly staff. It's definitely enhanced the entire cruise experience.

Here's a link to recent menus.

http://eclipse2011ta.webs.com/blumenus.htm

 

I also have some food photos in my recent Eclipse review (link below):

 

Thank you for these recent menus - really appreciate it!

 

Judy

[librarylady19]

You are welcome I love to read the menus in advance! here's another version of the menus (actual scans)

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59368763@N07/sets/72157627905504343/with/6303120023/

 

And the breakfast menu (loved the muesli):

[terigo]

I am very excited that we booked this class. We were looking for a port side balcony room for an Alaskan cruise and all of the regular balcony and concierge only had starboard. We settled on 1111 and 1113 on the Millennium. The cost was less than concierge and only $50 more per WEEK per person. This was a cruisetour and included that portion. Looking on the website now it worked out to $28 per day per person for Aqua Class. We are foodies and I know we will love Blu.

 

I didn't think the Millennium had Blu. I was under the impression it was only on the S class ships. Did they add it?

[cheryl20772]

I didn't think the Millennium had Blu. I was under the impression it was only on the S class ships. Did they add it?

 

BLU is being added to the millenium class ships when they are in dry dock. They are being "solsticized". Millenium will be in dry dock in April I think. Infinity just came out at the end of November. They are also adding some Aquaclass cabins and other S class places to these ships.

[Lois R]

I didn't think the Millennium had Blu. I was under the impression it was only on the S class ships. Did they add it?

 

Aqua Class cabins and Blu are being added to all the Millennium class

ships when they undergo their "Solsticization" Millennium is going through

the process for 3 weeks in April.

[granddutchess]

Thank you all for your information on AQ. I just booked an Alaska cruise on Celebrity Infinity for our 30th Wedding Anniversary this coming June. The price was better than the Concierge class. Sounds like I made a good decision. We are die hard RCCL cruisers so this will be a new experience for us.

[cheryl20772]

Thank you all for your information on AQ. I just booked an Alaska cruise on Celebrity Infinity for our 30th Wedding Anniversary this coming June. The price was better than the Concierge class. Sounds like I made a good decision. We are die hard RCCL cruisers so this will be a new experience for us.

Aqua costs less than Concierge on our Alaska cruise in May too. That really doesn't make any sense considering Aqua is the same as CC with added BLU and the other amenities.

 

My guess is that they are discounting the new A-1's and keep the A-2's near the same price. The new Infinity A-1's are kind of questionable as there's no protection from the elements yet on the verandahs. A Celebrity rep told me they might be going to put some kind of cover on there, but not yet. Anyway, we feel like we got a deal too...even if the price did go up $100 per person Christmas week. They haven't sold any more of them since the price went up and I'm watching to see if it will come back down now that we are past all the celebrating.