Blu vs Specialty restaurants

[dkjretired]

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

 

Unless you are in an AQ cabin you cannot eat in Blu. The only exception is suites are allowed in on a space available base. They are extremely strict about this rule for both dinner and breakfast.

[dkjretired]

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.

 

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk

 

Yes, the MDR dinner menu is available during regular dining room hours. This is for all cabins on the ship.

[dkjretired]

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. :)

 

Agree also, don't think it will be a problem. Many suite passengers eat in their rooms and on any given night a certain number of people will eat in Specialties. Remember also that they have leeway to a certain extent by not allowing suite passengers in, if necessary.

[lel5344]

We have sailed in Aqua Class on multiple occasions and we love Blu. But for the first time ever, we will have traveling companions, also in Aqua Class, so we will be having most of our evening meals in Blu.

 

But here's the "catch." Our friends also love the specialty restaurants and, despite the superb reviews for them, we have never tried any of them.

 

So the question is: can we find out, in advance, the sequence of menus that will be used in Blu on our cruise so we that we can determine what Blu meals we are reluctantly willing to forgo so we can make appropriate reservations for specialty dining?

 

Hope this all makes sense.

[Cruizen Susan]

We really like the ambiance and restaurant feel of Blu. The food and service are very good as well. That being said, the food and service in specialty restaurants are better. We decided for our sailing in December and March to do Concierge instead. First of all, there was quite a difference in price. Secondly, we can do the Ultimate Dining and dine in specialties every night, for less than the upgrade to Aqua.

 

Just our opinion. I know that most are in love with Blu, but we are not so much.