Large group and accessible rooms on Millennium in Aqua Class

[tootalltrucker]

I am travelling with a group of 18 folks to Alaska next year on the Millennium. The lead organizer has us all booking in Aqua Class but we are running into issues.

 

1. It seems it is very difficult to book 18 for dinner all at the same time in Blu. At least according to ur TA and the email she received back from Celebrity on this issue. This did not surprise me, I was concerned as Blu is smaller etc, which is why I asked the TA about it. But can anyone share some experience?

 

2. One couple needs an accessible room but apparently there are no AQ class accessible rooms on the Millennium. And of course if they can not take advantage of Blu then why are the rest of us going in AQ? While you would think it would be relativel easy for them to book in CC but have access to Blu it is not the case, at least not yet, and I can appreciate Celebrity not wanting to open that can of worms.

 

So, if we cannot dine as a group in Blu for dinner and 2 of our party may not be able to dine there at all you have to think we might be better off booking CC and apply the difference to day passes to Persian Garden and/or specialty dining.

 

I would appreciate any feedback, advice, similar or related experiences in this area.

 

Thanks.

[Essiesmom]

Sounds like your organizer is not taking into account the needs of your group. Has your organizer sailed in Aqua on an M class ship? There are only three large tables, for 6 or 8, in the Blu dining room. And they are far apart. All other tables are two tops, although they are close enough together to be sociable, if desired. You couple needing a HC cabin could book a HC accessible suite, and be able to dine with you in Blu, but they might not be able to afford that, or want to.

Dining 'as a group' in Blu could also be problematic. I don't know if you can arrange with the maitre'd to set aside a group of tables for a particular time each night or not. EM

[tootalltrucker]

Thanks EM. Not so much our group not taking our needs into account so much as perhaps the TA. I am not the lead for our group and I think the TA was touting AQ and nobody knew the specifics of Blu. I joined the group late and having sailed on Celebrity, but not in AQ, was at least aware of Blu and it's small size so am raising the flag. That is why I am looking to see if others have been through this before.

[Oakton Girl]

Have sailed Aqua several times on different ships and Blu is definitely not conducive to large group dining. I would definitely question you TA's reasoning and get appropriate changes made. I have only heard of suite guests on occasion admitted to Blu with a gratuity fee. This may have changed since my sailing earlier this year, but I really doubt it. Good luck!

[phoenix_dream]

IMHO Blu would not be conducive to group dining. In any venue, the group would be split into at least a couple large tables and those are very limited in Blu. Aqua class is very nice, but for a large group who wants to dine together I definitely would go for other types of rooms. The alternative is to not all dine together. If you split into groups of four or so at dinner that would be much easier. You can't really converse with 18 people anyway, and is it really mandatory that everyone eat at once, or together? (I am not dictating what you want to do, just suggesting) I was not aware there were not AQ handicapped rooms, so in order to eat in Blu that couple would need to book a sky suite or higher. Those rooms eat in Blu on a 'space available' basis but that is a contingency rarely, if ever, enforced.

[Hapytocruise]

Something else to consider - Blu is anytime dining and does not take reservations which could be problematic if your party of 18 shows up for dinner all at the same time - not only (as already mentioned) you will be seated at multiple tables but most likely spread around the room. Also (unless you all show up at opening first in line) you may not all get seated at the same time - some may have to wait for tables to become available. On occasion we have waited up to 20 minutes for a table for 2.

 

Your TA may be pushing Aqua without first hand knowledge or understanding how dining in Blu works. Your better bet would be CC or regular balcony cabin with early or late dining in the Main dining room with 2 or 3 tables next to each other if you want to dine as a group. Plus the cruise will be less expensive for everyone.

[cruisestitch]

Change to regular verandah or Concierge class cabins now, before they are all gone. Handicapped cabins may already be gone, there aren't that many of them. Too bad the travel agent didn't know more about the rules regarding non-AQ passengers having no access to Blu.

[dkjretired]

Change to regular verandah or Concierge class cabins now, before they are all gone. Handicapped cabins may already be gone, there aren't that many of them. Too bad the travel agent didn't know more about the rules regarding non-AQ passengers having no access to Blu.

 

Agree, I'll bet many of these people are not even aware that they are not assigned seating in the MDR.

[tootalltrucker]

Thanks everyone, The responses are what I expected. I am not the lead and wanted to get feedback so I could send it to him so he understands it is not just my opinion. With that large a group dinner might be the only time we are all together. An 8 top and 10 top or even three six tops at same time each evening would give us a chance to mix and mingle within our own group and discuss days activities.

[warmwinds]

We had MANY handicapped people on our September cruise in Aqua/Blu. We were on Deck 11, and there is a small area with a sofa and two chairs in the hallway near the elevators - and that place was loaded with no less than 7-8 wheelchairs, scooters, etc. Obviously if they are not handicapped cabins these devices might not fit inside, but we saw people being wheeled to their rooms, then the stewards or the family members would take the devices back and "park" them in this open area. Our cruise was loaded with elderly, and the number who needed a HC cabin far exceeded the number of such cabins, so many just made do with this system.

 

So yes, you can be in Aqua/Blu as long as you do not need your conveyance in your cabin with you.

 

But you still have the issue of such a large group in Blu, with no reservations. I'll also throw out there that Blu is a quiet, intimate dining room, and while most everyone was friendly and conversing, a large group that all know each other MIGHT tend to be more boisterous than what would be appropriate/fair to others who have booked Aqua specifically to have a quieter dining experience.

 

I think regular cabins, with assigned seating in the MDR, makes so much more sense for a large group.

[WestLakeGirl]

Second the suggestion for three six tops. You can't have much conversation at the large tables, people are too far away from each other to hear. Change everyone's bookings out of Aqua, there's too many problems for your group if some are there and some aren't