Blu Dining not for us

[calicakes]

We just returned from our 3rd cruise on X. We've only cruised AQ so I have nothing to compare Blu to( except Ocean View). I've never eaten in the MDR.

 

I was less enamored of Blu this time around, the menu was the same( or nearly the same) as my last cruise in April 2014 on the Constellation and similar to our first cruise on the Silhouette. I kinda felt " Been there, done that"

I think we only ate in Blu for breakfast 2 days. I asked for some "hash browns" and was told that No, they can't get that because Blu is a lighter, cleaner cuisine. That makes no sense to me when they are shoving danish and muffins on you at every pass.

 

They did get grits for me one day. French onion soup is always available from the MDR too. On this cruise( Alaska) I was really sick of the food, it felt the the same stuff day after day after day.

[soxfan2013]

Does anyone from Celebrity read this stuff?

[Cruise a holic]

Does anyone from Celebrity read this stuff?

 

Yes they do monitor the boards and I have heard many employees quote some of the Cruise Critic posts.

 

I hope that the take away that they hear is that Blu isn't what it used to be. After so many years, boring to eat the same hummas and veggies at every dinner- they really need to hire expert chef's and create a new menu if they want to justify charging more for cabins under the pool deck.

[jenniebnyc]

The are creating a new menu soon, so says the CEO.

 

I agree the quality in food has gone downhill in BLU. We like it only bc it is more intimate and (sometimes) the service is better. Still, we never received a hot meal, especially at breakfast. If it's made to order I have no idea why the food is cold.

 

Thankfully, we cruise in suites so I am very much looking forward to Luminae, but that is not to say that X should take a close look at what is going on in BLU and get it back up to snuff.

 

Maybe even have group scheduled seating times in a certain section so if cruisers want to eat with a group they can. I agree eating with a group can be fun and more social, but I also see the other side of the coin where a table for 2 has it's benefits too. When we do eat in the MDR we tend to dine at a table for 8. We have has some good luck with that and not so good luck.

 

My motto: SIMPLE-GOOD INGREDIENTS-FRESH-SERVED HOT.

 

If you don't have gourmet chefs making the food then don't try to make the food gourmet. It ain't gonna happen. Slopping a ton of low quality ingredients together, that don't compliment one another, does not make for a good meal. I am hopeful the new head of dining will make some changes. We shall see. GET RID OF THE GNOCCHI AKA- LEAD BALLS!

[Jeaannie55]

Our sentiments exactly. We have that same objection to Murano, but we go there a couple of times a cruise for the food. I am dubious about Luminae but will give it a chance. If Luminae and Michael's don't work for us, I don't know what we'll do about, as Celebrity calls it, The Suite Life.

 

We feel the same way, part of the Celebrity Experience for us is meeting people and the MDR is the ideal place for that. Will have to see how it goes on our Asian Cruise in Feb 2016.

[calicakes]

I had a couple issues this time with food. Crabcakes were cold and my nut crusted scallops were raw inside. Had to send them back.

[Straughn]

I was in Aqua for the first time in March. I loved Blu. There is so much food all around you on a cruise ship that the lighter, smaller portions were very appealing to me. I also felt that the service was more personalized and less rushed. Having said that, I have read the comments that the menu is old and repetitive. I only cruise once a year so I am less likely to notice the repetitiveness that those who cruise more frequently.

 

I often cruise solo and moved to Aqua because I had some bad experiences in the MDR. Twice I was the "filler" at tables with families traveling together. One table of 7 was at least civil, but really left me out of the conversation. The second time, I was number 6 at a table with a family of 5. The grandmother outright told me that I was an imposition. Unfortunately, it was a completely sold out cruise with a long wait list for second seating so there was no place to move me to. I figured I would rather eat by myself at a table for two in Blu than be ostracized or left to dine alone at a large table when the family ate elsewhere and couldn't bother to tell me they wouldn't be there the next night.

 

I had a great time in Blu. Without exception, every night, I ended up having a conversation with folks at neighboring tables, most of which were intiated by them. I became friends with an elderly couple who ate breakfast at the same time I did. The hostess realized this and always seated us next to each other.

 

Blu for me has been a positive experience and I hope to continue in Aqua glass when I cruise as a solo.

Edited September 14, 2015 by Straughn

[cpj]

You have to give credit to Celebrity for a great marketing plan. People love the word Aqua class makes them feel special. They pay more but the food is only ok. But there in Aqua class. Just like the drink package. How many times have I heard I got the free drink package. They pay more but Celebrity markets it a free perk. You have to give Celebrity credit they do a great job at marketing and customers just want to feel there important and Celebrity make them feel important but gets more of there money

Edited September 14, 2015 by cpj

[Muushka]

Blu is trying to be "healthier" and always offers healthy options...portions are smaller, but:

 

* you can get as much as you want and order as much as you want

* there are plenty of unhealthy, high carb options, from french onion to soup to apple pie a la mode.

 

I'm aware of the healthier, smaller portions. I just had not heard carbs being discussed along with Blu, I couldn't see the correlation. Still don't. Many people eat grains because they're supposed to be healthy. Loaded with carbs, but supposedly healthy.:rolleyes:

 

You have to give credit to Celebrity for a great marketing plan. People love the word Aqua class makes them feel special. They pay more but the food is only ok. But there in Aqua class. Just like the drink package. How many times have I heard I got the free drink package. They pay more but Celebrity markets it a free perk. You have to give Celebrity credit they do a great job at marketing and customers just want to feel there important and Celebrity make them feel important but gets more of there money

 

I got the free drink package. Trust me, it was free. There are some good deals out there.

[Gracie115]

You have to give credit to Celebrity for a great marketing plan. People love the word Aqua class makes them feel special. They pay more but the food is only ok. But there in Aqua class. Just like the drink package. How many times have I heard I got the free drink package. They pay more but Celebrity markets it a free perk. You have to give Celebrity credit they do a great job at marketing and customers just want to feel there important and Celebrity make them feel important but gets more of there money

 

I booked Aqua the first time because Blu offered an alternative to the LOUD main dining room and the cafeteria feel of it too. Blu has good food, in a wonderful ambiance with above average service and I can actually hear my husband talk across the table without having to raise the level of our voices.....is that worth a few extra dollars? You bet it is.... so what you may think is just a great marketing idea for "customers that just want to feel important" could not be farther from the truth for us and not a very nice thing to say either.....thankfully Celebrity offers different choices for different people...and YES THAT is a good marketing policy.....

Edited September 14, 2015 by Gracie115

[rjrpar]

The are creating a new menu soon, so says the CEO.

 

 

 

I agree the quality in food has gone downhill in BLU. We like it only bc it is more intimate and (sometimes) the service is better. Still, we never received a hot meal, especially at breakfast. If it's made to order I have no idea why the food is cold.

 

 

 

Thankfully, we cruise in suites so I am very much looking forward to Luminae, but that is not to say that X should take a close look at what is going on in BLU and get it back up to snuff.

 

 

 

Maybe even have group scheduled seating times in a certain section so if cruisers want to eat with a group they can. I agree eating with a group can be fun and more social, but I also see the other side of the coin where a table for 2 has it's benefits too. When we do eat in the MDR we tend to dine at a table for 8. We have has some good luck with that and not so good luck.

 

 

 

My motto: SIMPLE-GOOD INGREDIENTS-FRESH-SERVED HOT.

 

 

 

If you don't have gourmet chefs making the food then don't try to make the food gourmet. It ain't gonna happen. Slopping a ton of low quality ingredients together, that don't compliment one another, does not make for a good meal. I am hopeful the new head of dining will make some changes. We shall see. GET RID OF THE GNOCCHI AKA- LEAD BALLS!

 

 

Hasn't food quality in most of the restaurants on most cruise lines gone downhill in the last several years. I think that is especially true in the specialty restaurants. The need to keep fares low to fill the cabins is the driving all the cost reductions but we all love cheap fares.

[desert2lover]

Just returned from Celebrity Infinity cruise, and it is our first Blu experience. We only ate in the restaurant for dinner the first 2 nights, and we made the switch to the main dining room. The selection of dining options was poor especially on formal night, and the food just was lacking in flavor. We are not afraid to eat a carbohydrate in moderation and are not on a gluten free diet. When we changed to the Trellis, we found both the selection and the taste of the food more to our liking. We did not miss Blu. I know there are many who love this dining, but I will not sail Aqua Class again to experience this dining option.

 

We did exactly the same thing. We really enjoy meeting different passengers

at dinner and did not care for the food selections in Blu or the tables for 2

placed so close together. Interestingly, even tho the tables were close,

our table neighbors had no interest in chatting. MDR or specialty restaurants

much more to our liking.

[mrsgoggins]

I booked Aqua the first time because Blu offered an alternative to the LOUD main dining room and the cafeteria feel of it too. Blu has good food, in a wonderful ambiance with above average service and I can actually hear my husband talk across the table without having to raise the level of our voices.....is that worth a few extra dollars? You bet it is.... so what you may think is just a great marketing idea for "customers that just want to feel important" could not be farther from the truth for us and not a very nice thing to say either.....thankfully Celebrity offers different choices for different people...and YES THAT is a good marketing policy.....

 

Totally agree with every word of the above. Well said Gracie115

[TxnAquarian]

I think these conversations are great. It's important that people know what they are signing up for when they select a particular room category. Food and service and atmosphere preferences are so subjective. That's why it's great there are so many dining venues onboard. Honestly, since Luminae came along, we don't eat anywhere else because we think it's so fabulous. But we were devoted Aqua Class and Blu fans before. I don't think we ever thought the food in Blu was so amazing (it's always been just okay and a notch above MDR for us), but we always enjoyed Blu because we cruise to spend time with each other.....not socialize in large groups. I think Blu is a great opportunity to dine with your travel companion and not have to make small talk with a bunch of random people. Those who like meeting others I'm sure would find Blu repetitive and tedious without some interaction with others. We also enjoyed it for the more intimate level of service. It was definitely worth it to us for the several cruises we were in AQ, but we haven't looked back since Luminae was introduced. I think Celebrity does a wonderful job at providing something for everyone's tastes and preferences.

 

 

Michael

[hcat]

We have never been displeased in BLU....

 

Love the breakfast, ability to dine when we want, for dinner we still enjoy the menus but do crave some new choices for variety!

 

We can dine just two of us or with friends, or chat with table neighbors.....yet not be with same folks for 12 days or so! Happy to avoid the din and crowded feeling in MDR....

 

BLU and AQ has kept us with X, at least for next 3 cruises!

 

Interesting to compare experiences!

[lauriek]

My DH is not a cruise nut like I am and surprised him with a cruise on the Connie in Aqua with the drink package in Feb. After dinner the first night and breakfast in the morning in Blu he suggested we book a cruise for our 30th as long as it was the Aqua with the drink package. The noise in the main dining room has been a problem. We interacted with many people in Blu and really enjoyed it, loved our waiter and the hostess. I liked the food and there was always a variety to choose from. Some nights I had 3 appetizers and salad because that was what really appealed to me.

[Iamcruzin]

You have to give credit to Celebrity for a great marketing plan. People love the word Aqua class makes them feel special. They pay more but the food is only ok. But there in Aqua class. Just like the drink package. How many times have I heard I got the free drink package. They pay more but Celebrity markets it a free perk. You have to give Celebrity credit they do a great job at marketing and customers just want to feel there important and Celebrity make them feel important but gets more of there money

 

Aqua class is no doubt a marketing scheme like any other. However, it's not to make people feel important. The added amenities are there to sell the worst rooms on the ship at a premium price. Granted there may be a few rooms that are worth it but most are under the pool or buffet or at the top the ship. It seems that the rainbow is starting to fade over this trend because I have been noticing more and more that the price of Aqua has been lower than the price of Concierge Class. I have also been reading more posts from people who have grown bored and disenchanted with blu.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Iamcruzin

[TxnAquarian]

Aqua class is no doubt a marketing scheme like any other. However, it's not to make people feel important. The added amenities are there to sell the worst rooms on the ship at a premium price. Granted there may be a few rooms that are worth it but most are under the pool or buffet or at the top the ship. It seems that the rainbow is starting to fade over this trend because I have been noticing more and more that the price of Aqua has been lower than the price of Concierge Class. I have also been reading more posts from people who have grown bored and disenchanted with blu.

 

 

 

I'm not doubting what you're saying...I don't know much about marketing or the details of all the specifics of the rooms, but we have over 10 cruises in Aqua Class under our belts and never noticed anything wrong with the rooms....we've always been centrally located and have had quiet rooms. Also, maybe demand for Aqua Class has decreased as many people have graduated up to the Suite Class, like we have.

 

 

 

Michael

[DZalumni]

I love Blu for 3 reasons

1) right sized portions

2) much more quiet than MDR

3) gourmet dinning

 

Some people don't like Blu because the food it to weird for them. MDR just seems so uninspired to us.

 

Last cruise we took one of the couples hubby's had never cruised before. We booked a 10 day med cruise he loved it so much as long as we did AQ w/Blu & premium drinks.

[Iamcruzin]

I'm not doubting what you're saying...I don't know much about marketing or the details of all the specifics of the rooms, but we have over 10 cruises in Aqua Class under our belts and never noticed anything wrong with the rooms....we've always been centrally located and have had quiet rooms. Also, maybe demand for Aqua Class has decreased as many people have graduated up to the Suite Class, like we have.

 

 

 

Michael

Generally speaking the rooms below or above any public area on any cruise line ship are the least desirable. With that said, my wife and I sleep like the dead so noise is never an issue for us. We usually book the rooms above the theater or mid ship where the most activity is happening below us. I have read many complaints on this board and other cruise line boards about noise from the pool deck early in the morning. These reports may be coming from very light sleepers.

[Hlitner]

Am really enjoying this thread. DW and I have only booked AQ on S-Class ships (Silhouette and Eclipse) and have mixed emotions (many expressed in this thread). On one back-to-back (11+12 days) on the Silhouette we even did one segment in a regular balcony cabin (and the MDR) and the other in AQ. So after having experienced both options (many times) we have now booked our next two X cruises in Aqua.

 

A few thoughts. We agree that many of the AQ cabins are in lousy locations right under the pool with the huge overhang blocking lots of light on the balcony. But we simply book the less costly A2 cabins aft of the pool (where there is a passenger deck over the Aqua Cabins) and are very happy with the cabin locations. As to dining, when we do a regular cabin we prefer Select and usually dine late at a large table. While we do enjoy the large tables and some of the MDR food, the quality has declined in a big way. In Aqua we feel like we are entering a real restaurant (as opposed to the large banquet room called the MDR) and enjoy the more laid back atmosphere. The food in Blu has been hit or miss (like the MDR). For breakfast we will sometimes go to Blu for a big breakfast and then move over to the Elite breakfast to socialize and enjoy a Bloody Mary (even though we have the drink package).

 

Hank

[greydog]

In AQUA-BLU this August on Summit.

 

Blu cuisine was lackluster, service friendly but slow. Ended up in Bistro-5 or Buffet for quicker, some-this, some-that. Murano was ho-hum too - same menu for years.

 

Got AQUA cabin as GTY and ended under buffet, right below ice cream station open to 10:30pm. 500 kids onboard and I think they all were THUMPING for ice cream after 10pm.

 

After 3 trys (25 cruises with X), AQUA-Blu is off our radar. OTOH, Infinity last May had very good MDR dinners.

 

If the Lawn Club Grill on Reflection this Dec. disappoints we'll really be in a funk!

HAPPY CRUISING

[wally_bushy]

Hi Jane2357,

 

Just for further info... on our last cruise in May we were in Aqua and wanted to dine in the MDR... We just spoke to the host/manager at the MDR and they said no problem... This was for select dining and we just showed up when ready... We never had to mention it again [emoji4]

 

We also experienced the same situation and it was no problem:)

[baldercash]

Granted there may be a few rooms that are worth it but most are under the pool or buffet or at the top the ship..... people who have grown bored and disenchanted with blu.

 

We did a 28 night Trans Pacific in a aft cabin on the 11th deck Aqua class on Millie and it exceeded all our expectations. Part of what made the cruise so special was the itinerary but that aft cabin location and Aqua experience definitely enhanced the trip.

 

I am interested in where you read the 11th deck experience was inferior as it is a very private environment?

We have done Aqua on Solstice class with no noise issues as well.

 

The Blu menu repeats every 14 days on long venues and 7 on shorter ones so unless one was sailing constantly or on back to back 7 day cruises the menu is not repetitious and the same would occur with the MDR would it not?

 

As for the comment posting the buffet being better then the MDR or Blu that is definitely a very individual taste choice.

 

As to the food this may be subjective but a quick comparison of the Blu menu to the MDR shows the cuts of meat and fish superior in Blu if not to ones taste at least based on cost.

 

There is no need to be dismissive of Aqua class just as some see better value in an inside cabin to each their own.

[Pavovsky]

We were looking forward to Blu but we're really put off by a rude and arrogant waiter, not to mention a sommelier who did not have a clue about wines. The waiter decided to argue with my wife about how she could have her steak cooked. Proceeded to ignore her request and then insisted she try the well done steak. This together with inconsistent service meant we left Blu. On dry land we would have walked out of the restaurant. The management did not particularly care about this experience.

 

We found the MDR pretty good and not too carb heavy. The buffet is ok for snacks but not for a proper dinner.

 

 

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