Is Blu too "healthy" for us?

[Lastdance]

Both Celebrity UK Manager and Shoreside Suite concierge Miami have confirmed to us we will be able to eat in Blu on a space available basis on our cruise which sets sail after 1 January. We specifically asked the questions based on what we had read on these boards and we told that no change was planned.

We will be very interested to see if this is in fact true as we would like to be in Blu some nights.

 

That is exactly what I was told before I booked; my DH will not eat in Luminae for a 16 day TA and either we combine both or cancel our cruise????? I hate it when people post things like that, but give absolutely no facts to back up what they say. Although, for many facts are not important any longer....sad but true:D Opinions seem to be the new thing on CC, especially when they are not asked for, along with those who really do not know.

 

To Hank...if my DH wants to dine in Blu and pay suite prices, that is certainly his prerogative! We really don't care what you pay or where you eat...after all it is OUR CRUISE and not yours! Have you ever eaten in Luminae? I guess not due to your response on here. Why in the world would we care about where you would eat if you paid $$$? Too funny!

Edited December 27, 2016 by Lastdance

[Lastdance]

Yes, you can dine in Blu (if space is available). But arguably, the food in Lumanae is supposed to be better then Blu. So its almost like you are downgrading your dining opportunity. If I was paying the suite prices, we would be dining in the suite restaurant :)

 

Hank

Have you ever eaten in Luminae? "Arguably, the food in Luminae is supposed to be better than Blu." Have you eaten in both restaurants or not? I am really curious, so please come back and share...

Edited December 27, 2016 by Lastdance

[kitty9]

Have you ever eaten in Luminae? "Arguably, the food in Luminae is supposed to be better than Blu." Have you eaten in both restaurants or not? I am really curious, so please come back and share...

 

I have eaten in both, for four cruises when we were in the PH, and IMHO, I just don't see the hoopla over Luminae. Yes, this is my OPINION, but to me, the food in Luminae just tries too hard to be upscale fancy and it doesn't succeed. Plus, for longer cruises, which are the ones we take, the oft repeated and boring lunch menu is not good. I will say the breakfast in Luminae is very good, but to pay the high suite prices, the lunch menus should be different every day.

 

Blu was advertised as being a healthy alternative when Celebrity first introduced Aqua Class, but that's not the case at all. We much prefer the Blu menus to Luminae, but to be totally honest, we would choose Murano every time over either Blu or Luminae.

[drychi]

Good Evening. My wife and I are mid-western middle class people with a diet to match. We have eaten in Blu several times on several different M and S class ships. We enjoyed our meals very much. It was fun to try new menu choices that are not part of our normal meal routine at home. We agree with the earlier comments on the service and seating arrangements. We also agree that breakfast is a must do in Blu! Happy Cruising! Bob and Linda

 

 

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[El Crucero]

Blu was advertised as being a healthy alternative when Celebrity first introduced Aqua Class, but that's not the case at all. We much prefer the Blu menus to Luminae, but to be totally honest, we would choose Murano every time over either Blu or Luminae.

 

Blu was introduced as a healthy alternative but the menu has changed over the years because of complaints from pax who wanted a less health conscious alternative. So Celebrity is darned if they do and darned if they don't. No pleasing some people.

 

Regarding Murano, it is excellent, but our least favorite specialty dining venue. This is just our subjective opinion. These food threads are so useless because they are so subjective. Try Blu, try Luminae, try all the specialty restaurants and then decide for yourself. Take anything else said by posters, including me, with a grain of salt. You decide after trying them.

 

At this time, we are happy in Blu with an occasionally trip to specialty dining or (dog forbid) a trip to the buffet for dinner.

Edited December 27, 2016 by El Crucero

[ClaudiaB]

We love Blu, we love Luminae, and we love the specialty restaurants.

Blu we found was the best for customizing. For example, if you would like more mashed potatoes than just a small garnish, tell them! It may be on a different entree but you can get it on yours. I like a decent sized serving of steamed broccoli, not just two teeny florets. Ask them! If there's a third entree that sounds appealing to the two of you, get them to bring a half sized portion to share. Luminae will do the same. It's a bit more pretentious and on our second Luminae experience recently we found it didn't "wow" us like it did on our first.

 

We would book for Blu and eat several of our meals in the specialty dining venues for less than the price of a suite. Although we love the sky suites, we wouldn't miss Michael's Club or Luminae if we had Blu and the other restaurants.

Notice I haven't mentioned the main dining room. It's been 7 or 8 cruises since we ate a meal in there.

[Miaminice]

Your husband is not to worry. I had the same fear before our first cruise in AQ.

We loved Blu and never went back. It got us hooked on AQ. The atmosphere is way more relaxed and service very personal.

 

The food is advertised as healthy - but IMHO is nothing close to what you'd expect as health food. It's just good...

 

See for yourself:

 

[YOUTUBE]IZ5eFfLRz0k[/YOUTUBE]

Edited December 27, 2016 by Miaminice

[hcat]

That seagood Nage is excellent...had it recently on Infinity....

[keesar]

Reviews of Blu are subjective and it is best to try it yourself. We have had exceptional service and food-- and on other occasions, we have walked out more than once. Much is dependent on the number of passengers that choose to dine there as that can put alot of stress on the kitchen and staff.

 

Review the menus as there are some nights we cannot find anything we care for and head to another venue. This is especially true if we want to have a special dinner as Blu is really not an intimate atmosphere.

[mafig]

Thank you all for your responses. I think you've convinced me.;):)

[mafig]

Oops, one more thing.:o Do they serve lobster in Blu?

[El Crucero]

Oops, one more thing.:o Do they serve lobster in Blu?

 

Whole lobsters on 'formal nights' as many as you want. At other times it might be lobster bisque or lobster salad, or some other variation.

[keesar]

Oops, one more thing.:o Do they serve lobster in Blu?

 

On a 7 night cruise, they serve warm lobster tails one evening as an entree. For us, it was on the 6th day. "Oven Roasted Warm Lobster Tail". These are not the Maine lobsters. It is NOT a whole lobster in Blu and we have never had a whole lobster in Blu on all our cruises. As mentioned, on other nights they do serve a Maine lobster meat as an appetizer and may serve a lobster bisque soup. The Maine lobster meat over fresh greens is real good! Just like the lobster at home...

Edited December 28, 2016 by keesar

[GordonJasmine]

We always ask for the vegetarian menu in Blu. By combining selections on that menu and the regular menu, we have had some very delicious meals in Blu. We can't imagine dining anywhere else.

[Tyler80]

I would not consider Blu to be overly healthy. Each table has a bread basket and there are veggies, hummus and ranch dressing on the table. With that said, my wife and I really enjoyed Blu!

[galensgrl]

That is exactly what I was told before I booked; my DH will not eat in Luminae for a 16 day TA and either we combine both or cancel our cruise????? I hate it when people post things like that, but give absolutely no facts to back up what they say. Although, for many facts are not important any longer....sad but true:D Opinions seem to be the new thing on CC, especially when they are not asked for, along with those who really do not know.

 

DH and I are new to Celebrity, our first cruise coming in May. I was told on by a pax on another board that AQ and Suite guests aren't "allowed" to eat dinner in the MDR as it is not their "assigned" dining room, and doing so steals a table away from non-AQ/Suite guests. :( Not that we are dying to have dinner in the MDR every evening, but I called X to find out where we could eat dinner and not inconvenience anyone. The woman at X told me that Suite guests can dine in Luminae, also Suite guests are welcome to dine in Blu as long as there is space available. She said there is a nominal fee to dine in Blu. I asked if the policy regarding Suite guests accessing Blu is changing on 1/1/17, and she said she hasn't heard anything about that. Also, anyone can eat dinner in the MDR if they choose, but that it's best to make a reservation early in the day, to avoid longer wait time at peak dining hours. I know your specific issue was Blu not the MDR, but I am sharing that last part in case anyone tries to tell you you're not allowed to have dinner in the MDR if you so choose. Having never been on X, not sure what will appeal to us once we get there, but we are more likely to try made to order food in the buffet than we are to eat in the MDR in the Evening. We just like knowing what our choices are. :D

[Lastdance]

DH and I are new to Celebrity, our first cruise coming in May. I was told on by a pax on another board that AQ and Suite guests aren't "allowed" to eat dinner in the MDR as it is not their "assigned" dining room, and doing so steals a table away from non-AQ/Suite guests. :( Not that we are dying to have dinner in the MDR every evening, but I called X to find out where we could eat dinner and not inconvenience anyone. The woman at X told me that Suite guests can dine in Luminae, also Suite guests are welcome to dine in Blu as long as there is space available. She said there is a nominal fee to dine in Blu. I asked if the policy regarding Suite guests accessing Blu is changing on 1/1/17, and she said she hasn't heard anything about that. Also, anyone can eat dinner in the MDR if they choose, but that it's best to make a reservation early in the day, to avoid longer wait time at peak dining hours. I know your specific issue was Blu not the MDR, but I am sharing that last part in case anyone tries to tell you you're not allowed to have dinner in the MDR if you so choose. Having never been on X, not sure what will appeal to us once we get there, but we are more likely to try made to order food in the buffet than we are to eat in the MDR in the Evening. We just like knowing what our choices are. :D

 

Yes, i called Captain's Club and they said that rumor, about not being able to eat in Blu was false! We ate in Blu last year, so i did not see any change until it was posted, most likely by someone who has never eaten in Blu or Luminae.

[Gonzo70]

 

FYI there is no fee for suite guests to dine at Blu.

[Lastdance]

FYI there is no fee for suite guests to dine at Blu.

 

 

There is no fee to dine in Blu for suite guests! Sorry, but it used to be $5.

Ditto!

 

 

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Edited December 28, 2016 by Lastdance

[galensgrl]

FYI there is no fee for suite guests to dine at Blu.

 

Thanks for the info.

[Fish Lover]

DH and I are new to Celebrity, our first cruise coming in May. I was told on by a pax on another board that AQ and Suite guests aren't "allowed" to eat dinner in the MDR as it is not their "assigned" dining room, and doing so steals a table away from non-AQ/Suite guests. :( Not that we are dying to have dinner in the MDR every evening, but I called X to find out where we could eat dinner and not inconvenience anyone. The woman at X told me that Suite guests can dine in Luminae, also Suite guests are welcome to dine in Blu as long as there is space available. She said there is a nominal fee to dine in Blu. I asked if the policy regarding Suite guests accessing Blu is changing on 1/1/17, and she said she hasn't heard anything about that. Also, anyone can eat dinner in the MDR if they choose, but that it's best to make a reservation early in the day, to avoid longer wait time at peak dining hours. I know your specific issue was Blu not the MDR, but I am sharing that last part in case anyone tries to tell you you're not allowed to have dinner in the MDR if you so choose. Having never been on X, not sure what will appeal to us once we get there, but we are more likely to try made to order food in the buffet than we are to eat in the MDR in the Evening. We just like knowing what our choices are. :D

 

We generally sail Aqua and therefore eat in Blu. However, we sometimes elect to eat in the MDR. You are WELCOME in the MDR if and when you choose to eat there. Anyone on these boards that tells you otherwise is expressing opinion NOT fact. For some reason some people who eat in the MDR resent it if an Aqua or Suite person eats in the MDR. There is ZERO evidence that this impacts those folks in any negative way whatsoever. Also, I have never experienced any impact with suite passengers eating in Blu. Additionally, you have been correctly advised to call ahead and make a reservation in the MDR select dining, if you choose to eat there at a busy time. You don't need to ask anyone's permission or advise anyone....just as if you decided to eat in specialty dining or in your cabin or at the buffet or skip dinner all together. You are free to do as you choose and make last minute decisions. Folks on this board will express other opinions as though they are "rules' you must follow, and that is patently false.

[judy.s.anderson.79]

There is no fee to dine in Blu for suite guests! Sorry, but it used to be $5.

Ditto!

 

 

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I think that Suite guests just have to make sure that there is a table available as it is mainly for Aquaclass. At least that is what we had been told.

 

 

 

 

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Edited December 29, 2016 by judy.s.anderson.79

[keesar]

I think that Suite guests just have to make sure that there is a table available as it is mainly for Aquasize. At least that is what we had been told

 

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That is good advice. On our cruise on Reflection, it was so crowded that suite guests were turned away. We were in AQUA and had to wait 20 minutes to get a table.

[judy.s.anderson.79]

Yes, it seems certain times are busier than others. People wanting to eat earlier or later, depending on the show entertainment. They always check on your room numbers at the front desk to make sure that you are in Aquaclass also.

 

 

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[galensgrl]

We generally sail Aqua and therefore eat in Blu. However, we sometimes elect to eat in the MDR. You are WELCOME in the MDR if and when you choose to eat there. Anyone on these boards that tells you otherwise is expressing opinion NOT fact. For some reason some people who eat in the MDR resent it if an Aqua or Suite person eats in the MDR. There is ZERO evidence that this impacts those folks in any negative way whatsoever. Also, I have never experienced any impact with suite passengers eating in Blu. Additionally, you have been correctly advised to call ahead and make a reservation in the MDR select dining, if you choose to eat there at a busy time. You don't need to ask anyone's permission or advise anyone....just as if you decided to eat in specialty dining or in your cabin or at the buffet or skip dinner all together. You are free to do as you choose and make last minute decisions. Folks on this board will express other opinions as though they are "rules' you must follow, and that is patently false.

 

Thank you for clarifying this. We've only been on 2 cruise lines before X and have much less experience with cruising than most of the people posting here, so it was a little weird to be told we wouldn't be welcome in the MDR and we're expected to eat every dinner in our "assigned" dining room. People don't usually pay more in order to have limited choices, that just makes no sense. It was so weird I actually called X to verify dining policy, which I've never done because we have never worried about getting food on a cruise. If anything we are concerned with getting too much food on a cruise :D Glad to know we can happily try anything that appeals to us without taking anything away from anyone else.

Edited December 29, 2016 by galensgrl
grammar