Blu vs Specialty restaurants

[acwmom]

My DH and I are currently booked in a C2 angled hump cabin on the Reflection. We decided after our cruise in March, 2011 on Eclipse that we really enjoyed Qsine, and planned to eat more in the specialty restaurants on our next cruise.

 

For those that have dined in both Blu and the specialty restaurants, which do you prefer? I know it's personal preference to a degree. FWIW, we tend to be light eaters. I don't know that we'd make it through all the courses in Murano or the Tuscan Grille.

 

I am also concerned about our current cabin location. On Eclipse, we were on the resort deck/pool level. With Reflection's new configuration, we are now beneath the transition from pool to Oceanview Cafe.

 

I have looked at the various Blu menus, and there are certainly choices we would both enjoy. The breakfast menu is especially appealing, but we are early risers-what time do they start serving breakfast in Blu?

 

Thanks for your input.

[mpace58]

If you are a light eater, stay away from the Tuscan Grill. They had to roll us out of there. It was AWESOME. There was so much food, and it was all great.

Bread

Antipasti platter

Appitizer

soup/salad

Dinner

desert

 

If you've seen the Blu menu then you know what to expect. I, personally, did not care for Blu and would not go back. But my wife, and 99.9% of the reviews I've seen, love it.

[chief joe]

Unless you change to Aqua class you cannot eat in Blu.

[SFCAcruiser]

My DH and I are currently booked in a C2 angled hump cabin on the Reflection. ...

 

If this is correct, your questions about Blu are moot.

[acwmom]

Unless you change to Aqua class you cannot eat in Blu.

 

I know, that was my dilemma, stay in a C2 and eat most nights in a specialty restaurant, or move up to AquaClass and eat in Blu. The two specialty restaurants that are a good fit for my husband and I are Qsine, and the Lawn Club Grill.

 

I just had my TA move us to an Aqua Class hump cabin. I'm looking forward to Blu.

[riandei]

Blu was lovely

 

Felt like we over ate in all 3 specialty restaurants on our january solstice....3 restaurants in 7 days was too much....i'de opt for blu...but thats my OPINION only

 

You will enjoy either

[George C]

If you are a light eater, stay away from the Tuscan Grill. They had to roll us out of there. It was AWESOME. There was so much food, and it was all great.

Bread

Antipasti platter

Appitizer

soup/salad

Dinner

desert

 

If you've seen the Blu menu then you know what to expect. I, personally, did not care for Blu and would not go back. But my wife, and 99.9% of the reviews I've seen, love it.

 

I agree with this 100 percent Tuscan Grill is my favorite specialty resturant , and I have tried over a dozen on differnt ships, ( also was not impressed with blue)

[librarylady19]

Did both Qsine and Tuscan Grille in Eclipse. we were definitely wowed by Qsine and have already booked it for our Summit cruise. Liked TG, especially the decor and service but wasn't as impressed by the overall experience. Good was definitely good (and the creme brûlée was divine) just not as unique.

we ate the other 5 nights in Blu which was fantastic on all counts - food , service and ambiance.

Ai think e could have eaten at Blu happily all 7 nights but we wanted to try some of the specialty restaurants. The dining experrience is a big part if our cruise and we don't mind paying extra for the variety.

Edited February 23, 2012 by librarylady19

[coldweathergirl]

We were recently on the Infinity and sailed AQ. We were in Blu and the food and service were absolutely incredible. So much so that we booked another cruise in AQ. We also ate in SS, Qsine and at Bistro on 5 which we enjoyed as well.

 

Blu was often open around 6:30 until approx 9 am in the morning. On sea days there were occasional times that we did miss breakfast there because we slept in a bit. They also had wonderful coffee and fresh squeezed juices there in the morning.

[uktog]

You say your husband is a lawn grill/Quine type guy. I may be misreading into this but I would therefore guess he like casual, focus in good meats etc. am I right? If so I would say you might not be well placed in Blu

 

I am saying this using the law of opposites, I am a fish and lighter meats person, I love Blu and don't care for Qsine, tried it twice and was just swamped with food all nice but not the very delicate tastes I prefer

 

It's as we'll we don't all like the same places!!

[OceanCruise]

I really, really enjoyed Blu for breakfast. It was good for dinner but can't compare to the specialty restaurants. I would do AQ if the fare wasn't a huge differential and then just eat a few nights in the specialty restaurants.

[AerynSun_JohnCrighton]

You say your husband is a lawn grill/Quine type guy. I may be misreading into this but I would therefore guess he like casual, focus in good meats etc. am I right? If so I would say you might not be well placed in Blu

 

I am saying this using the law of opposites, I am a fish and lighter meats person, I love Blu and don't care for Qsine, tried it twice and was just swamped with food all nice but not the very delicate tastes I prefer

 

It's as we'll we don't all like the same places!!

 

I think I personally would not be too thrilled based on what people have said and the menus I have seen... it would be hit or miss. I am NOT a big fish person- very picky about my seafood. Also, I like veggie options as well.I also feel if I eat healthy I want my full dessert- chocolate and lots of it! I LOVE Italian and the sauces and flavors. Do they post the Blu menu outside the restaurant for the night?

[librarylady19]

Yes, the evening menu is posted outside:

 

 

I really wouldn't characterize Blu as low-calorie/light dining and I never left feeling hungry! The nice thing is, you have the flexibility to order 2 appetizers if you wish, soup and salad, an entree as an appetizer sized portion, etc. There are plenty of meat and game choices; as I recall only one seafood option per night.

Only you can decide if you like it, and really only by trying it yourself....tastes vary.

Edited February 23, 2012 by librarylady19

[uktog]

They post the Blu menu outside the restaurant in the morning, so you can check it as you leave breakfast. That way if you are wondering about a last minute booking to another restaurant or an evening in the buffet you can make your choice then. If you want you can also see if they might be able to fit you in on a one off in the MDR or if not and you like the MDR menu, maybe think about ordering it via room service.

 

Room service for Aquaclass guests is the MDR menu, you cannot get Blu food by room service

 

One "dessert" option we followed several nights was we had a lighter one from the Blu menu and then went and ordered a coffee in Al Bacio and enjoyed a plateful of the naughtiest chocolate fixes ever. We did not do that every night as there was some very naughty chocolate in Blu and you can of course combine two desserts ie add the ice cream or order two desserts to compare and contrast

[acwmom]

You say your husband is a lawn grill/Quine type guy. I may be misreading into this but I would therefore guess he like casual, focus in good meats etc. am I right? If so I would say you might not be well placed in Blu

 

I am saying this using the law of opposites, I am a fish and lighter meats person, I love Blu and don't care for Qsine, tried it twice and was just swamped with food all nice but not the very delicate tastes I prefer

 

It's as we'll we don't all like the same places!!

 

I will clarify by saying that as far as specialty restaurants, those are the two he would prefer atmosphere wise. More casual, I guess you could say. From a food choice standpoint, neither of us are into heavy creams, lots of red meat, etc. I don't know that we would last through all the courses in either Murano or Tuscan Grille.

 

What we did enjoy in Qsine last year was the higher level of service and the fact that the food came out freshly fixed from the kitchen. Understandably, this is impossible in the MDR. We found the MDR to be okay, but agreed that spending extra $$ on specialty dining (or moving up to Aqua and essentially getting what some have described as specialty dining) was worth it. We aren't big into shore excursions, so we look at the dining experience as our "shore excursions".

 

Thanks for everyone's input!

[noriboating]

Loved Blu!!!! Murano was also fabulous and QSine a campy fun venue but best experienced in a group. Tuscan was not my favorite...so I guess we all have our own preferences.

[uktog]

If you are looking for the attentive service, that certainly happens in Blu, if you are looking for more cooked to order foods that also happens in Blu. Sorry I misread your love of Qsine as being because of some of the more "heavy" items they can bring out

 

I certainly love the lower noise level in Blu and the fact I feel like I am dining in a restaurant and not a larger function suite if you get my drift.

 

Also do not overlook the Blu breakfast experience, much more relaxing than in the cafe and as it is the same staff as look after you at night, you are really made to feel like one of the family each morning. You also get freshly squeezed juice there that you have to pay for elsewhere and made to order dishes so although there is a menu for example the omlettes it is basically a "tell us what you want in your omlette from this list"

 

Hope you are able to find the right "dining choice" for you, it is so difficult when you are trying to guage what others are saying to you and base your decision on that

[acwmom]

If you are looking for the attentive service, that certainly happens in Blu, if you are looking for more cooked to order foods that also happens in Blu. Sorry I misread your love of Qsine as being because of some of the more "heavy" items they can bring out.

 

 

Attentive service is definitely one thing that we are looking for, as is the "fresher" food if you will. We were able to enjoy Qsine by selecting smaller items (disco shrimp, lava crab, Kobe sliders) and skipping the side dishes.

 

 

 

 

I certainly love the lower noise level in Blu and the fact I feel like I am dining in a restaurant and not a larger function suite if you get my drift.

 

 

Exactly my thoughts.

 

 

 

Also do not overlook the Blu breakfast experience, much more relaxing than in the cafe and as it is the same staff as look after you at night, you are really made to feel like one of the family each morning. You also get freshly squeezed juice there that you have to pay for elsewhere and made to order dishes so although there is a menu for example the omlettes it is basically a "tell us what you want in your omlette from this list"

 

 

 

Another reason I ultimately switched to Aqua. I often only ate a made to order omelette in the Ocean View. And I love the thought of fresh squeezed juice and smoothies. And, I may have to try the Musli as well.

 

 

 

 

Hope you are able to find the right "dining choice" for you, it is so difficult when you are trying to guage what others are saying to you and base your decision on that

 

Thanks again. I think we will be fine. We are also looking forward to the other AquaClass goodies and "privileges". (And the new Michael's Club with craft beers as well)

 

But one question, that no one can answer yet, is, how will Blu deal with the increased number of passengers traveling in the Aqua Suites? On the deck plan, it doesn't appear to be any larger than Blu on current ships.

[AerynSun_JohnCrighton]

What is Musli?

[acwmom]

What is Musli?

 

 

Basically, it sounds like freshly prepared oatmeal. Here's what Wikipedia said:

 

Fresh muesli

 

Fresh muesli, made using rolled oats, orange juice, blended apple and banana, redcurrants, raisins, cottage cheese, topped with raspberries.

Muesli can also be freshly prepared using either dry rolled oats or whole grain oats that have been soaked in water or fruit juice. Other ingredients commonly included are additional grated or chopped fresh fruit (e.g., bananas, apples, berries, grapes, mango), dried fruit, milk products (e.g., yogurt, cream, condensed milk, fromage frais, quark, cottage cheese, or nondairy milk substitutes), lemon juice, ground nuts, seeds, spices (especially cinnamon), honey and muesli mix.

[edit]Original Bircher-Benner muesli recipe

 

The original Bircher-Benner recipe is proportionately the opposite of most muesli available in today's supermarket varieties, calling for far more fruit than grains. One serving based on the original recipe consists approximately of:

1 tablespoon rolled oats, soaked in 2–3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon cream

200 grams apple (about one large, preferably a sour variety), finely grated and mixed with the above directly before serving

optionally top with 1 tablespoon ground hazelnuts or almonds

The original recipe used sweetened condensed milk instead of cream, a compromise due to hygiene concerns regarding fresh milk products in 1900 (bovine tuberculosis etc.), before pasteurisation and refrigeration became commonly available. The original recipe also advised to soak the oats in water overnight as raw oats need a lengthy soaking to soften them before eating. This long soaking time is unnecessary with modern rolled "quick oats", which the manufacturers already soften through a steam treatment. While phytic acid is an antinutrient and strong chelator of important minerals, it is removed during the steam process, making muesli desirable, given its positive antioxidant qualities.

[edit]

[Retired civil servant]

Hi,

 

Muesli is very popular here in Europe, its a combination of dried fruits, nuts, cereals such as oats, wheat, barley and taken / mixed with fresh milk.

 

Basically its very healthy and quite filling, but you might also want to have some bread or rolls to help keep you going until lunch-time.

 

Try it, but don't add any sugar if you can help it.

 

Regards

Geoff

Cambridge

UK

[Leo Jay]

We're booked in AQ class for our first X cruise on the Summit this coming May, but I'm just wondering about the Main Dining Room. Is the food and/or service mediocre? Would there be any reason (menu variety, atmosphere, etc.) to opt for the MDR on a given night, as opposed to Blu or a specialty restaurant? I do know that it's possible to order from the MDR *menu* while *dining* in Blu...

 

Thanks.

Edited February 23, 2012 by Leo Jay

[Waterlily777]

If you are looking for the attentive service, that certainly happens in Blu, if you are looking for more cooked to order foods that also happens in Blu. Sorry I misread your love of Qsine as being because of some of the more "heavy" items they can bring out.

 

 

Attentive service is definitely one thing that we are looking for, as is the "fresher" food if you will. We were able to enjoy Qsine by selecting smaller items (disco shrimp, lava crab, Kobe sliders) and skipping the side dishes.

 

 

 

 

I certainly love the lower noise level in Blu and the fact I feel like I am dining in a restaurant and not a larger function suite if you get my drift.

 

 

Exactly my thoughts.

 

 

 

Also do not overlook the Blu breakfast experience, much more relaxing than in the cafe and as it is the same staff as look after you at night, you are really made to feel like one of the family each morning. You also get freshly squeezed juice there that you have to pay for elsewhere and made to order dishes so although there is a menu for example the omlettes it is basically a "tell us what you want in your omlette from this list"

 

 

 

Another reason I ultimately switched to Aqua. I often only ate a made to order omelette in the Ocean View. And I love the thought of fresh squeezed juice and smoothies. And, I may have to try the Musli as well.

 

 

 

 

Hope you are able to find the right "dining choice" for you, it is so difficult when you are trying to guage what others are saying to you and base your decision on that

 

Thanks again. I think we will be fine. We are also looking forward to the other AquaClass goodies and "privileges". (And the new Michael's Club with craft beers as well)

 

But one question, that no one can answer yet, is, how will Blu deal with the increased number of passengers traveling in the Aqua Suites? On the deck plan, it doesn't appear to be any larger than Blu on current ships.[/quote]

 

We have cruised in Aquaclass four times now, and since Blu went to "open seating" (3 of our cruises) we have found that Blu is never more than 75% full, and even less many nights. My guess is that Blu will be fine, even with the increase of passengers from the Aqua Suites.

 

Although we love Blu, we also go to a couple of the specialty restaurants per cruise, and some nights just order room service and eat on the balcony, if the MDR menu appeals to us. I don't think we are unusual in that regard, so that probably opens up some space in Blu.

 

Here's hoping it all works out well. :)

[lel5344]

But dining in Blu gives me an opportunity (and an excuse) to step outside my comfort zone and try some different things. Perhaps it's the idea of knowing that it's already paid for, and if I don't like something, I can ask for something else, and if I don't like the something else, I can try one of the other venues, and if I still don't like something, there's always dessert!

 

In addition, we have found the atmosphere in Blu to be one of life's pleasures. And the service we have received has been superb.

 

So, if available, Aqua Class will be our stateroom of choice, and Blu is the principal reason.

[Leo Jay]

Although we love Blu, we also go to a couple of the specialty restaurants per cruise, and some nights just order room service and eat on the balcony, if the MDR menu appeals to us.

 

So am I to understand that the MDR dinner menu is available via room service?! I had assumed that only sandwiches and the like would be available.

 

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