Experienced Aqua Cruisers

[A Sixth?]

A previous "poster" indicated you can order off the MDR menu while seated in Blu. Is that correct? I'm on a 17 da. Panama Canal cruise in April and would love, love, love that option.

 

We have ordered bits off the MDR menu in Blu and the waiter didn't blink an eye.

 

Here's one of them! :D

 

[dkjretired]

A previous "poster" indicated you can order off the MDR menu while seated in Blu. Is that correct? I'm on a 17 da. Panama Canal cruise in April and would love, love, love that option.

 

They have been getting away from that so I wouldn't count on it , easier on the M class ships because the galleys are adjacent. Really depends on what you are talking about, an appetizer or a main course.

[Laurab23]

We have ordered bits off the MDR menu in Blu and the waiter didn't blink an eye.

 

Here's one of them! :D

 

 

I hope to order this in Blu. Every night if possible.

 

Laura

[Miss SeaBee]

We might have just hit it on a bad night, but we didn't care for the food OR the atmosphere! Much prefer MDR or specialty restaurants. See my review,"Just Off Reflection," posted today.

[ChucktownSteve]

For an Aqua class room, one can get more than $100 OBC from a TA.....(along with the 1.2.3 Go deal) We got $500 and I'm sure others have done better than that.

 

We got $625 OBC (including the $300 plus the liquor/gratuities 1-2-3) and the one cat upgrade to A1 on a nine day on Connie. :p

Edited March 14, 2015 by ChucktownSteve

[flames9]

I believe how many of the TAs do it, they give a certain %, based on the cabin cost...One just has to search. Googler is ur friend

[ChucktownSteve]

I believe how many of the TAs do it, they give a certain %, based on the cabin cost...One just has to search. Googler is ur friend

 

Generally yes. I've used two online TAs and this time they both offered the same TA OBC based on cabin cost...so I negotiated with one for an extra amount which include the cat upgrade too. The other one wouldn't budge or allow the CC cat upgrade. So guess which TA got the booking. :D

 

I'm stoked to be able to try AQ for our first time and appreciate the opinions posted on this thread!

[flames9]

Generally yes. I've used two online TAs and this time they both offered the same TA OBC based on cabin cost...so I negotiated with one for an extra amount which include the cat upgrade too. The other one wouldn't budge or allow the CC cat upgrade. So guess which TA got the booking. :D

 

I'm stoked to be able to try AQ for our first time and appreciate the opinions posted on this thread!

 

We stick with the aft Aqua2 rooms..Very quiet.....Ensure u take a look at the S class cabin Spreadsheet at the main Celebrity page....Some of those A1 rooms are under the gym and pool, which can be a bit noisy!

[ChucktownSteve]

We stick with the aft Aqua2 rooms..Very quiet.....Ensure u take a look at the S class cabin Spreadsheet at the main Celebrity page....Some of those A1 rooms are under the gym and pool, which can be a bit noisy!

 

Thankx. However I'm on an M class deck 11 closest to the stairs over the sunset bar so I don't have very far to use my bev. package. ;) Or to crawl home.

Edited March 15, 2015 by ChucktownSteve

[D C]

We've cruised twice, total. Both on the Constellation on the Cozumel-Key West run. First time we ate in the MDR. Second (2 weeks ago) we were Aqua and ate in Blu.

 

I was very underwhelmed with Blu. I have mostly traditional tastes in food, but the sample menu sounded intriguing. Not that there weren't appealing offerings on-board, but I simply didn't find the restaurant worth any increase in cost.

 

The sommelier seemed to be merely pushing the same wine to everyone (reduces the number of bottles he needs to keep track of, I suppose). On one evening, there was a Bordeaux listed on the menu as the recommended wine for the day. Great. Except they didn't even have any of it. The sommelier in Ocean Liners, and the one we had a year ago in the MDR were excellent by comparison. They provided my wife an I with distinctly different wines exactly to our preference. In Blu, not so much.

 

Twice I ordered the New York Strip. Twice it was a poorly-prepared, overcooked, piece of meat. Frankly, the daily-special sirloin at Outback is a FAR better steak.

 

It's also quite crowded in Blu. You may as well make friends with some Aqua class neighbors and dine with them, because if you're dining as a couple, you're pretty much dining as a foursome with the couple next to you.

 

To do it again, I would skip Aqua class and spend that extra $$ on dining at Ocean Liners, which was a magnificent meal of near-perfection.

[D C]

Thankx. However I'm on an M class deck 11 closest to the stairs over the sunset bar so I don't have very far to use my bev. package. ;) Or to crawl home.

 

We were in 1120 on the Connie. LOVED the room location! I'd be more tempted to re-book Aqua just for the location than any of the other amenities of Aqua class.

[Hlitner]

This is an interesting topic and a question that has haunted DW and moi for several years. We generally cruise on the S-Class ships and have enjoyed both the MDR and Blu. So what to do? When we did a long back-to-back in Europe a year ago we did one half in the MDR and the other half in Blu (had to change cabins). Last year we did a 14 day Caribbean in the MDR and enjoyed every meal. This year we are doing the same cruise in Blu! DW says it best when she tells folks that we enjoy both venues. I will admit that a problem we had with Blu was not being able to routinely get some good X staples such as French Onion Soup, Escargot, and Cheesecake in Blu (unless you pushed the issue). But lately there seems to be a "secret" menu in Blu in that they now have these basic staples (and also shrimp cocktail) but one has to ask. Not sure if they have added this stuff to the printed Blu menu at this time. However, one lesson we have learned is to chat with our waiter and/or Maitre'd the first night in Blu and simply ask what they offer that is not on the Blu menu.

 

As to quality, it has been hit or miss. Blu is a much smaller restaurant and has its own galley (and chefs) so in a perfect world the quality should be better then the MDR where cooks are preparing thousands of meals. But in practice we have had very good Blu chefs and we have had some "not so good" Blu chefs. Like many things on cruise ships its like rolling the dice.

 

Hank

Edited March 15, 2015 by Hlitner

[flames9]

This is an interesting topic and a question that has haunted DW and moi for several years. We generally cruise on the S-Class ships and have enjoyed both the MDR and Blu. So what to do? When we did a long back-to-back in Europe a year ago we did one half in the MDR and the other half in Blu (had to change cabins). Last year we did a 14 day Caribbean in the MDR and enjoyed every meal. This year we are doing the same cruise in Blu! DW says it best when she tells folks that we enjoy both venues. I will admit that a problem we had with Blu was not being able to routinely get some good X staples such as French Onion Soup, Escargot, and Cheesecake in Blu (unless you pushed the issue). But lately there seems to be a "secret" menu in Blu in that they now have these basic staples (and also shrimp cocktail) but one has to ask. Not sure if they have added this stuff to the printed Blu menu at this time. However, one lesson we have learned is to chat with our waiter and/or Maitre'd the first night in Blu and simply ask what they offer that is not on the Blu menu.

 

As to quality, it has been hit or miss. Blu is a much smaller restaurant and has its own galley (and chefs) so in a perfect world the quality should be better then the MDR where cooks are preparing thousands of meals. But in practice we have had very good Blu chefs and we have had some "not so good" Blu chefs. Like many things on cruise ships its like rolling the dice.

 

Hank

 

We have only sailed Celebrity once before and was in an Aqua cabin and loved it. But yes if you read all the posts centered on BLU, it seems to be hit and miss and of course everyone has their own "tastes" We had no issues ordering items such as Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail every night on the Silhouette on our May 2013 Med cruise. We had great waiters, and that may have a lot to do with it as well. We sail again this Aug. on silhouette in Aqua class and I'm sure it will be great..may be different, but it will work. Any issues are really 1st world issues. Guess 1 has a different view of things after living 3 years in Nicaragua.

[keesar]

T I will admit that a problem we had with Blu was not being able to routinely get some good X staples such as French Onion Soup, Escargot, and Cheesecake in Blu (unless you pushed the issue).

 

Hank

 

A couple of weeks ago in Blu, on the first night the waiter said they had baked French onion soup, shrimp cocktail and Caesar salad available every night. Cheesecake was on the menu.

 

Meals were hit or miss. The duck dishes were outstanding as were the soups. Ravioli was overcooked and my filet weighed no more than 3 ounces. People were laughing and wanted to take photos of it! I could have ordered another one but the meal that night was painfully slow and we wanted to see the show. Up to the buffet after the show.

[midwestchick]

I would love to see some input from recent Summit pax that dined in Blu.

[bvocruise]

I may have made a minor mistake booking the Reflection and Aqua Class for our first Celebrity cruise. I did not realize Blu is so crowded and often not a pleasant dining experience. I picked the cruise based on the itinerary in May. The Reflection is the only ship that offers this itinerary and I’m disappointed to find it is overcrowded and Blu can be a madhouse.

 

It is too late now to do anything except to make the best out of it. I will be sure to research the ship in advance for any future cruises. I did not realize Celebrity made this ship with an extra deck of passenger cabins without increasing capacity for the common areas.

Edited March 17, 2015 by bvocruise

[midwestchick]

I may have made a minor mistake booking the Reflection and Aqua Class for our first Celebrity cruise. I did not realize Blu is so crowded and often not a pleasant dining experience. I picked the cruise based on the itinerary in May. The Reflection is the only ship that offers this itinerary and I’m disappointed to find it is overcrowded and Blu can be a madhouse.

 

It is too late now to do anything except to make the best out of it. I will be sure to research the ship in advance for any future cruises. I did not realize Celebrity made this ship with an extra deck of passenger cabins without increasing capacity for the common areas.

 

 

When we sailed on the Silhouette, people from our pre-cruise tour booked Blu and loved it. Personally I thought the MDR was over crowded and very noisey.

I spoke with friends this past weekend who did Blu on the Reflection and absolutely loved. I mentioned all the negative posts on this thread to her and she said they experienced nothing like that in Blu.

Try not to worry about the common areas...I'm sure you will love your cruise. I believe the Silhouette and Reflection are sister ships and we enjoyed our Silhouette cruise and did not find the ship itself to be crowded.

Get your "happy on" and have a wonderful cruise. :D

[flames9]

I may have made a minor mistake booking the Reflection and Aqua Class for our first Celebrity cruise. I did not realize Blu is so crowded and often not a pleasant dining experience. I picked the cruise based on the itinerary in May. The Reflection is the only ship that offers this itinerary and I’m disappointed to find it is overcrowded and Blu can be a madhouse.

 

It is too late now to do anything except to make the best out of it. I will be sure to research the ship in advance for any future cruises. I did not realize Celebrity made this ship with an extra deck of passenger cabins without increasing capacity for the common areas.

 

Luminea--the new dining room for Suite guests should be open then..and take away some of the crowding issues people have talked about in BLU

[Ozzmund]

I may have made a minor mistake booking the Reflection and Aqua Class for our first Celebrity cruise. I did not realize Blu is so crowded and often not a pleasant dining experience. I picked the cruise based on the itinerary in May. The Reflection is the only ship that offers this itinerary and I’m disappointed to find it is overcrowded and Blu can be a madhouse.

 

It is too late now to do anything except to make the best out of it. I will be sure to research the ship in advance for any future cruises. I did not realize Celebrity made this ship with an extra deck of passenger cabins without increasing capacity for the common areas.

 

When we cruised AQ on the Reflection we did not experience any of the issues some others have mentioned. Now that was 2 years ago and perhaps things are different now, but for us, Blu was a wonderful experience.

[20pluscruises]

I may have made a minor mistake booking the Reflection and Aqua Class for our first Celebrity cruise. I did not realize Blu is so crowded and often not a pleasant dining experience. I picked the cruise based on the itinerary in May. The Reflection is the only ship that offers this itinerary and I’m disappointed to find it is overcrowded and Blu can be a madhouse.

 

It is too late now to do anything except to make the best out of it. I will be sure to research the ship in advance for any future cruises. I did not realize Celebrity made this ship with an extra deck of passenger cabins without increasing capacity for the common areas.

 

You did NOT make a mistake. :)

 

Just returned from the Reflection on Saturday and Blu was not crowed the first 6 days...the last evening it was quite crowded. I think a wait list for suite guests...we were in aqua class and were seated right away on the last night.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!!

[20pluscruises]

I would love to see some input from recent Summit pax that dined in Blu.

 

We were n the Summit in August...no waiting or crowded. :)

[phoenix_dream]

We were just on Connie last week and four of the five days were not crowded, but one day was so crowded we needed to get a beeper. No particular rhyme or reason we could think of. In my opinion Blu will be less crowded once the suite restaurant opens. It was never designed to accommodate other than AQ passengers so the addition of suite passengers really stretched its limits at times.

 

As to our experience on Connie - we felt is was good overall, but not nearly as good as on our late November experience on Summit (which was fantastic!). I had a couple of really so-so meals and the sommelier was okay but really rushed and pretty much spending little time working with you to see what you wanted. We still greatly prefer the M class design (if you think the M class two-tops are close wait until you try S class!) and still love the breakfast option.

 

We also had a rear 11th floor AQ cabin and that is definitely the place to be (for sure on our cruise - the crazy college kids cruise:))

[keesar]

I may have made a minor mistake booking the Reflection and Aqua Class for our first Celebrity cruise. I did not realize Blu is so crowded and often not a pleasant dining experience. I picked the cruise based on the itinerary in May. The Reflection is the only ship that offers this itinerary and I’m disappointed to find it is overcrowded and Blu can be a madhouse.

 

It is too late now to do anything except to make the best out of it. I will be sure to research the ship in advance for any future cruises. I did not realize Celebrity made this ship with an extra deck of passenger cabins without increasing capacity for the common areas.

 

Blu on the Reflection does not truly represent our Blu experiences in other ships. It is more crowded and service is not as attentive. There has been some improvement. But here are some tips to make the experience more enjoyable:

-Eat early

-Don't go there right after the early show

-Try a Specialty Restaurant on the first or second nights as those are the more chaotic

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[bvocruise]

Blu on the Reflection does not truly represent our Blu experiences in other ships. It is more crowded and service is not as attentive. There has been some improvement. But here are some tips to make the experience more enjoyable:

-Eat early

-Don't go there right after the early show

-Try a Specialty Restaurant on the first or second nights as those are the more chaotic

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

I appreciate all of the comments. We will make the best out of the cruise. I'm surprised about all the negative comments pertaining to Blu and the Reflection. Even CleGuy(sp) wrote something basically saying to stay away from the Reflection given the choice (not word for word).

[midwestchick]

I appreciate all of the comments. We will make the best out of the cruise. I'm surprised about all the negative comments pertaining to Blu and the Reflection. Even CleGuy(sp) wrote something basically saying to stay away from the Reflection given the choice (not word for word).

 

 

Wow...CleGuy is a very experienced cruiser. I'll have to search his posts.

The people I know did eat fairly early. I think you can also do the MDR.

When do you cruise?