Any AQU passengers who have dined in BLU recently?

[Jade13]

I am looking for those who usually book AQU class, who have been in BLU recently, and if so, whether they felt the food and service was as good as it has been in the past?

 

I am wondering if the staff from BLU on most ships have now been reassigned to the new Suite restaurant, Luminae, and if service in BLU will suffer?

 

We like dining in BLU for the peaceful atmosphere, good food and service, and have never had to wait and have never been given a beeper.

 

But I am wondering if the staff who have made this dining so special have now been moved to Luminae, and if BLU dining (including breakfast) has changed and/or been dumbed down.

 

Also, we have yet to experience BLU on an M class ship but will be on Millennium later this year. If it is just a section of the MDR, won't it be noisy if no walls have been put up?

 

Thanks.

[hypercafe]

On the M class Blu is a separate room. Service and food were great in May on the Summit.

 

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[gdpups]

Just off the Summit two weeks ago and had a wonderful experience in Blu. Same wonderful service and food as always. We don't like long dinners so had the full 4 course experience and were in and out of there within an hour, just how we like it.

 

We are in a suite for the first time in September and are looking forward to trying luminae. We were able to upgrade to a suite guarantee for the a good price, but on future cruises if that's not possible we are very happy with an Aqua cabin and eating in Blu.

[Project_gal]

Crew for Luminae were selected from all other dining venues, not just Blu or Specialty Restaurants.

[Northern Aurora]

....

 

Also, we have yet to experience BLU on an M class ship but will be on Millennium later this year. If it is just a section of the MDR, won't it be noisy if no walls have been put up?

 

Thanks.

 

As already noted Blu on M-class ships is separated with walls from the MDR and has its own entrance. But I wanted to comment that we have been in Blu on both M-class and S-class ships, and I actually prefer Blu on M-class ships. Just more intimate on M-class ships.

[hcat]

BLU on Connie in Jan was excellent...I agree M class BLU has a nice layout....very cozy. A bit diff than the ones on S class, but we like them too.

 

Glad to hear BLU has not suffered due to roll out of Luminae. We have 2 cruises booked on S class ships in AQ /BLU and 1 on Infinity, and would hate for it to have changed.

 

Would like to hear about BLU Equinox...

[GigemAggies]

We used to love dining in Blu, however on our last 2 cruises we have been extremely disappointed in Blu. In fact, on the last 14 night cruise we only dined there twice. Not only had the service declined but the food was really getting "weird". We kept joking that we expected to see wild boar and crow on the menu next!

So in answer to your question, yes, we have seen a sharp decline in both service and quality.

[carads]

We sailed on the Summit in May and when we got to our stateroom we had a letter from the Blu maitre d' suggesting we come to dinner the first night at 8 or 8:30 because they were expecting to be busy early, but no explanation why. Other than that we thought the food and service were comparable to our May 2013 cruise. We tend to dine early and, while there was usually a short line as they escorted people to tables, we never waited more than a few minutes. We've already booked the same A1 stateroom for next May.

[TeaBag]

We are just off Eclipse. We found the food in Blu disappointing. I like the description about it being "weird". DH thought they were trying a bit too hard to serve different food. I had at least 3 entrees that I didn't like and one which was inedible. People at the next table thought so too. It was Five Spice Tuna. It neither looked nor tasted like Five Spice. It was more like Blackened Tuna with a ton of salt in it. Maitre'D brought out the Indian chef who said it was "aggressive" Five Spice??? Several other dishes were also too salty. We have been in Blu on M class and we are booked again next year. We both thought it was much better there. Hope it remains that way. On the other hand, the Short Ribs served in Blu were amazing. We liked our Lobster but many found a really tough bit next to the shell which they couldn't even cut. Maitre'D was summoned for that too.

[dkjretired]

We sailed on the Summit in May and when we got to our stateroom we had a letter from the Blu maitre d' suggesting we come to dinner the first night at 8 or 8:30 because they were expecting to be busy early, but no explanation why. Other than that we thought the food and service were comparable to our May 2013 cruise. We tend to dine early and, while there was usually a short line as they escorted people to tables, we never waited more than a few minutes. We've already booked the same A1 stateroom for next May.

 

That's a form letter they have issued pretty much since Blu started. If you don't follow it, no big deal.

[morbihan]

The staff in Blu on Connie a couple of weeks ago were excellent.

 

The food was appalling. Never eaten such rubbish. I sent it back mostly. So disheartened I went to the buffet.

 

Which was only marginally better.

 

Not fussy. Any meal not cooked by me starts with an advantage

Edited June 16, 2015 by morbihan

[LWRcruisers]

Recently dined in Blu on the Equinox. It was as delicious as in the past, and service was excellent. We have always had a great experience in Blu, and just booked Aqua for Alaska in 2016 so we can dine in Blu. My Husband loves breakfast in Blu!

[hcat]

Have the menus and rotation changed since January?

Or are the differences in preparation & style?

Chef in BLU on Connie in Jan was outstanding, and we also enjoyed BLU on Ref in Nov

 

BTW, we had wild boar for lunch on Dominica (no beef burgers available) and enjoyed it,,

[candr]

We were in Blu on Eclipse September 2014 and March 2015. We thought the service was the best we have had over several years (total of 12 cruises in Aqua with Blu on both S Class (all ships but the Reflection) and M Class on the Summit. The waiters were uniformly excellent - in the past only a couple were excellent and the others just okay. We did have a meal each time we thought was not up to the usual standards, but the staff was great about replacing, we follow their recommendations and we found the food to be excellent overall. We also found the chef makes a difference. On one cruise last year the chef in Blu had a heavy hand with the spices and two of the appetizers including the crab martini and two soups we enjoyed before and since were too heavily spiced for us to eat. We like Blu more on the S Class ships than on M Class, but then we also like the S Class ships better overall.

[lovey1103]

Dined in Blu on the Solstice in April 2015.

The menu options are few and at times weird. I am not fussy and just order something I like such as soup and salad.

The service was spotty. The staff are way overworked. We waited many evenings and mornings too just for water or coffee.

[tasia]

I am looking for those who usually book AQU class, who have been in BLU recently, and if so, whether they felt the food and service was as good as it has been in the past?

 

I am wondering if the staff from BLU on most ships have now been reassigned to the new Suite restaurant, Luminae, and if service in BLU will suffer?

 

We like dining in BLU for the peaceful atmosphere, good food and service, and have never had to wait and have never been given a beeper.

 

But I am wondering if the staff who have made this dining so special have now been moved to Luminae, and if BLU dining (including breakfast) has changed and/or been dumbed down.

 

Also, we have yet to experience BLU on an M class ship but will be on Millennium later this year. If it is just a section of the MDR, won't it be noisy if no walls have been put up?

 

Thanks.

 

Hi there. We were on the Millenium on b2b from Hong Kong to Shanghai and Shanghai to Vancouver. We were Aqua and ate in Blu almost every night and every meal was excellent.

 

See you on the Millenium next spring.

 

Bonnie

[Squadra03]

We are 1 month back from an Equinox cruise, our 3d cruise in Aqua and for us we had the best Blu experience ever!

 

Nothing weird about the food, but delicious well thought menus.

[fatbaldbloke]

Having just spent 15 nights aboard The Eclipse dining in Blu we were happy enough with the food. However on the last night there was a special of Chicken Marsala which both my wife & I agreed was the best meal we had on the cruise. Given the head chef in Blu is Sri Lankan were just hoping that there will be more curries on offer on future cruises.

Edited June 18, 2015 by fatbaldbloke

[Missymo]

I was on Solstice in 2013 and we did not enjoy Blu .. The meals we did eat there were either over cooked, not hot enough or tasteless for us. I must say the wait staff was excellent trying to assist even though the food wasn't to our tastes. Ended up at the wonderful speciality restaurants . Going back on Solstice in two weeks.,and will be trying out Luminae, .[emoji4]

Edited June 18, 2015 by Missymo

[chamima]

Having just spent 15 nights aboard The Eclipse dining in Blu we were happy enough with the food. However on the last night there was a special of Chicken Marsala which both my wife & I agreed was the best meal we had on the cruise. Given the head chef in Blu is Sri Lankan were just hoping that there will be more curries on offer on future cruises.

 

 

Did you ask for curries?

We did (Eclipse in February) and they were happy to oblige!

[acstall]

We thoroughly enjoyed Blu on our Equinox trip in Jan/Feb. I have never enjoyed fish on cruises until this trip. Every seafood dish tasted wonderful, moist and was seasoned perfectly. Some of our favorites included the best carpaccio we've ever had and the lamb shank.

[fatbaldbloke]

Did you ask for curries?

We did (Eclipse in February) and they were happy to oblige!

 

 

No we didn't but you can guarantee we will in future. Thanks ;)

Edited June 18, 2015 by fatbaldbloke

[ladylemondrop]

I mis-read this thread title as "Any aqua class passengers who DIED in Blu recently?"!!! I thought " I hope not!!!" Oops.

[chamima]

No we didn't but you can guarantee we will in future. Thanks ;)

 

 

Just give them AT LEAST 24 hours notice!

(There are also some really good curries on the vegetarian menu)

[Squadra03]

I mis-read this thread title as "Any aqua class passengers who DIED in Blu recently?"!!! I thought " I hope not!!!" Oops.

 

Just a couple each cruise...:D