Question about Aqua Class-Dining in Blu

[HeatherInFlorida]

I promise I searched to find my answer and couldn't find it. When we booked our next Celebrity cruise yesterday I chose Aqua Class so we could try Blu. Last time we sailed on Solstice (2012) everyone in Aqua Class dined in Blu and from what I've read here that's still the case.

 

So I'm very confused why Celebrity asks you to make a choice between "Select" dining or the 6:00/8:30 MDR. My booking shows that I've chosen Main sitting in the MDR.

 

Does anyone know why Celebrity does this when we're booked in an Aqua Class cabin? Why wouldn't it say Blu?

[kitty9]

There's a stupid glitch in Celebrity's computer program that makes everyone make that choice. For whatever reason, they refuse to update their computer system.

[vulcan1971]

The only difference is that you can choose to prepay your gratuities when you select the "Select" option or pay at the end of your cruise when you select the other option.

 

Sent from my Samsung Note II on the T-Mobile 4G LTE network using Tapatalk Beta 4

[Lovemychoos]

I was just going to say the same thing. We have traditional dining, 8pm on our cruise summary, even though we are in Aqua. We have already paid our grats, which is probably why is doesn't say 'select'

 

Lou

[dmp223]

I am sure this comes as no surprise to anyone here, but I am always amused when I call Celebrity I am asked about early or late dining and they can plainly see that I am booked in Aqua Class and have even acknowledged that fact during the call itself. :rolleyes:

 

Many years ago, I worked in a res center for a high-end tour operator, the training was meticulous and part of the training, you were required to actually take one of the tours (paid by the company) so as agents we would be better versed in the "product". I realize times have changed and most companies don't afford their employees such thorough training any longer, but for front line employees, I am continually amazed at the rookie mistakes Celebrity agents make and really wish Celebrity would take note or if they have, actually give a darn that their front line employees give out inaccurate information continually.

 

*jumps off soapbox*

[HeatherInFlorida]

Well ... thank you so much. That eases my fears because I worried that dining in Blu was no longer standard for Aqua Class ... and since that's the ONLY reason we booked AQ, I figured I'd come to the 'experts' who actually cruise on Celebrity :).

 

They have more than one 'glitch' because I had put a 'courtesy hold' on a cabin on Celebrity's website which would hold for 24 hours. When I booked the AQ cabin through my TA instead, I went into the system and canceled the booking. And then I also clicked "remove booking" yesterday.

 

Yet this morning i got an email from Celebrity about my hold (it's now been 48 hours at least and they're still holding it). I wrote him back explaining I'd booked thru my TA and he wrote that he would "update the system on their end".

 

Had to laugh because when I look at my account on 'their system", it's gone!

[Big_G]

I am sure this comes as no surprise to anyone here, but I am always amused when I call Celebrity I am asked about early or late dining and they can plainly see that I am booked in Aqua Class and have even acknowledged that fact during the call itself. :rolleyes:

 

I was under the impression that you could still choose the MDR even if you book Aqua Class.

[Hlitner]

As others have said, the problem is that Celebrity's 18th century software does not have a way to properly handle Aqua Class. What actually happens is that when you get to your cabin you will have a letter welcoming you to Blu and giving you an assigned dining time for the first night of the cruise. But this "assigned" time is actually meaningless and you can simply show-up at Blu anytime during the normal serving hours.

 

Hank

[HeatherInFlorida]

I was under the impression that you could still choose the MDR even if you book Aqua Class.

 

Not unless things have changed since early 2012. For our last cruise I wanted to book AQ, but use the MDR (before I understood how much everyone loves Blu). They told me if I was in AQ I could NOT do regular dining seating. I do think they may have told me I could use "Select" (not sure), but that wasn't what I wanted at the time. I never want traditional dining again after our last experience which was a nightmare and we ended up at a table for 10 with only 3 people.

 

As others have said, the problem is that Celebrity's 18th century software does not have a way to properly handle Aqua Class. What actually happens is that when you get to your cabin you will have a letter welcoming you to Blu and giving you an assigned dining time for the first night of the cruise. But this "assigned" time is actually meaningless and you can simply show-up at Blu anytime during the normal serving hours.

 

Hank

 

Perfect! Thank you, Hank :). Can't wait!

[dmp223]

I was under the impression that you could still choose the MDR even if you book Aqua Class.

 

I can't speak to that.. but my point being is that Celebrity's own agents don't seem to grasp the Aqua Class/Blu concept/connection.

[helpthejuggler]

When in AQ, your default dining is in Blu. The dining choice on your booking is irrelevant, but if you choose Select tips will be pre-paid.

 

You can't really have traditional dining in the MDR because that would need you to have a fixed table. Should you like to use the MDR the logical way would be to go as Select diners.

 

It is best to ask in Blu what arrangements are in place for using the MDR. They will prefer you to stay in Blu, but can always guide you. We wished to join friends in the MDR one night who were on Select dining and that was possible.

If Select is over-subscribed they may ask you to go to a traditional dining seating. Not sure what table sizes you would get/join.

 

Your preferences can normally be satisfied if arranged in advance.

[Gordoncruickshank]

The Select dining you referred to id the main dinning room equivalent of anytime dinning. You turn up when you want to, I think, the higher level of the MDR and ask for whatever table size you want.

[takemewithyou]

I was told by my TA when we booked a cruise in AQ class that they had you select a preference for time so they could get a handle on when you might prefer to dine in Blu. In fact, they asked us the first night for Blu to select either early or late dining time for that first night only to get a feeling on when their Blu guests preferred to dine. After that first night, we could come at whatever time we preferred.

 

On another note, Heather (the OP), I want to thank you for your review of the Riviera. I was familiar with your posts on HAL and so your review was something I wanted to read because I valued your opinion. It was so well done and so helpful to me to read your opinion on that cruise!. It actually was a deciding factor in us booking Oceania recentlyfor our first cruise.!:). So thank you and you should receive extra OBC for every new booking from your review! :D

[steelergirlinfl]

We are dining in BLU in November on the Reflection. I understand from talking with a facebook friend of mine who is a server in BLU on Solstice that all this change means is that they will give you a preferred time to dine in BLU but that BLU is now more "select dining" than definitive time slots. This is good because then you can take your time in port knowing that if you miss your say 6 p.m. assigned time, you can still dine in BLU when you do get back to the ship.

 

We also book Aqua Class more for the persian garden and BLU than for anything else.

[bighairtexan]

Actually this isn't a change. BLU has always been "select" dining since its inception. Yet you've always had to indicate a dining time which is totally irrelevant. You will not ever have an "assigned" time. Never have. You can request a certain time and/or server and/or table once you're onboard. Just like making a reservation in the MDR when you're select. But other than that, you are just supposed to show up when you feel like it. Sometimes during "peak dining times" there may be a wait, especially if you want a certain table or server. Usually it's very brief.

 

I was in Blu the first few months it was introduced and the 1st night they had a card in the room requesting you arrive w/in a certain time window. And that was only a request rather than an assignment. After that you arrived whenever you chose.

 

You'd think that now that BLU has been around for years, they'd have the website parameters adjusted so that you didn't have to indicate a time to dine. It's unnecessarily confusing.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I really want to thank everyone for all their responses. I am clear on "Select" vs traditional dining, but I didn't want to prepay gratuities so I was forced to select 6:00 dining. Glad to find out it "doesn't mean anything", but as others have said, you would think by now they're computers could handle Blu!

 

...............

On another note, Heather (the OP), I want to thank you for your review of the Riviera. I was familiar with your posts on HAL and so your review was something I wanted to read because I valued your opinion. It was so well done and so helpful to me to read your opinion on that cruise!. It actually was a deciding factor in us booking Oceania recentlyfor our first cruise.!:). So thank you and you should receive extra OBC for every new booking from your review! :D

 

Wow! Thank you :) ... what a glowing 'review' of my review! Glad you liked it. As you could tell, we'd been disappointed in our last Celebrity Solstice cruise and we just fell in love with Oceania. We have 2 cruises coming up on Oceania, but DH still misses Celebrity a bit so we decided to give it another try. And what I'm hoping is that dining in Blu might make a big difference. Looking forward to it.

 

I don't think you'll be disappointed in Oceania. Hope you love it! We're back onboard Riviera Dec. 12th :).

 

Actually this isn't a change. BLU has always been "select" dining since its inception. Yet you've always had to indicate a dining time which is totally irrelevant. You will not ever have an "assigned" time. Never have. You can request a certain time and/or server and/or table once you're onboard. Just like making a reservation in the MDR when you're select. But other than that, you are just supposed to show up when you feel like it. Sometimes during "peak dining times" there may be a wait, especially if you want a certain table or server. Usually it's very brief.

 

I was in Blu the first few months it was introduced and the 1st night they had a card in the room requesting you arrive w/in a certain time window. And that was only a request rather than an assignment. After that you arrived whenever you chose.

 

You'd think that now that BLU has been around for years, they'd have the website parameters adjusted so that you didn't have to indicate a time to dine. It's unnecessarily confusing.

 

This is what I thought ... that there is no set time, but that they do start to get a sense of when people like to dine. I'd been turned off by it being mostly tables for 2 because we have a table for 2 every night of our lives :) so on cruises I really love to meet and talk with other people at dinner. But I read that the tables are set up in such a way that often people do talk with each other. So I'll hope for that. Really looking forward to it because I've heard such positive feelings about Blu.

[takemewithyou]

The tables in Blu are very close together, so it is easy to strike up a conversation with fellow diners there, so you are in luck, if that is your wish!

I particularly liked the breakfasts there. :)

Enjoy and thanks again for your review!

[bighairtexan]

Heather the tables are so close to each other that it's harder NOT to talk to the people in the table next to you. I know what you mean about the table for 2 as Bob and I do that at home all the time. And on my upcoming cruise w/ a gal pal, a romantic table for 2 isn't quite what we're looking for!

[HeatherInFlorida]

Heather the tables are so close to each other that it's harder NOT to talk to the people in the table next to you. I know what you mean about the table for 2 as Bob and I do that at home all the time. And on my upcoming cruise w/ a gal pal, a romantic table for 2 isn't quite what we're looking for!

 

Sounds perfect :). Glad there's someone else who feels that way. I know there are young couples, possibly with children or always working, who really want some alone time. But we're retired and have always enjoyed our dinners, sit over them usually for an hour, and we love that at home. But a really great cruise (for us) has a lot to do with the people we meet and what better place than over dinner? :)