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Equinox Blu 13-24.3, just Wow!

Vaux

By Vaux,
in Celebrity Cruises

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Vaux

Vaux

Posted
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What an experience it was!

 

It was our third cruise on Celebrity and first in Aqua-class. We had read many comments here on CC about the Blu-restaurant and most of them had been very positive but we weren´t prepared on how good the food and service would be!

 

We just want to thank Darya in Blu for being just absolutely fantastic, we love you! :)

 

 

Sven & Katja

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wsthomp

wsthomp

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We did Aqua class on the Equinox last year for our Honeymoon. Blu was great and I wish we hadn't ventured off to the specialty restaurants as much as we did. Definitely planning on eating most of my meals at Blu when we are on the Silhouette in May.

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rain_bowbrite

rain_bowbrite

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We did Aqua class on the Equinox last year for our Honeymoon. Blu was great and I wish we hadn't ventured off to the specialty restaurants as much as we did. Definitely planning on eating most of my meals at Blu when we are on the Silhouette in May.

 

Hi wsthomp, can you (or anyone else with Blu experience) elaborate more on why you wish you hadn't ventured off to the specialty restaurants as much as you did? We're new to Celebrity, doing first X cruise in Dec on Equinox (not in Aqua just veranda). It's for our honeymoon as well and I'd love to make it as special as possible. We are currently planning to eat most our dinners in the specialty restaurants, but now I'm questioning if we need to be upgrading instead to Aqua for Blu?

 

I'd be interested in any details you have to share on what sets Blu apart from the speciality dining options on Equinox. Thanks!

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wsthomp

wsthomp

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Hi wsthomp, can you (or anyone else with Blu experience) elaborate more on why you wish you hadn't ventured off to the specialty restaurants as much as you did? We're new to Celebrity, doing first X cruise in Dec on Equinox (not in Aqua just veranda). It's for our honeymoon as well and I'd love to make it as special as possible. We are currently planning to eat most our dinners in the specialty restaurants, but now I'm questioning if we need to be upgrading instead to Aqua for Blu?

 

I'd be interested in any details you have to share on what sets Blu apart from the speciality dining options on Equinox. Thanks!

 

I don't think the menu changed in the specialty restaurants but it did in Blu. Another plus for Blu was the breakfast. As far as the specialty restaurants go I enjoyed Tuscan Grill the most. Murano was good. I wasn't impressed with Silk Harvest.

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eatdrinkfly

eatdrinkfly

Posted
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we were on the same cruise in Aqua and agree wholeheartedly. the Blu experience made our trip.

i've done Aqua before but this time the staff on the Equinox and new menus really knocked it out of the park.

we also dined at Tuscan Grill which we regretted (got sucked in by a 30% off offer - not a great meal) and Murano which was fantastic (was a free meal gifted to us) but in the future we wouldn't bother with any specialty dining and just stick to Blu.

massive thumbs up from our crew.

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  • 3 weeks later...
jarnina

jarnina

Posted
Posted
What an experience it was!

 

It was our third cruise on Celebrity and first in Aqua-class. We had read many comments here on CC about the Blu-restaurant and most of them had been very positive but we weren´t prepared on how good the food and service would be!

 

We just want to thank Darya in Blu for being just absolutely fantastic, we love you! :)

 

 

Sven & Katja

 

Great to hear!Boarding on Monday and also first time in Aqua Class after a few previous cruises on Celebrity.

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jelayne

jelayne

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Hi wsthomp, can you (or anyone else with Blu experience) elaborate more on why you wish you hadn't ventured off to the specialty restaurants as much as you did? We're new to Celebrity, doing first X cruise in Dec on Equinox (not in Aqua just veranda). It's for our honeymoon as well and I'd love to make it as special as possible. We are currently planning to eat most our dinners in the specialty restaurants, but now I'm questioning if we need to be upgrading instead to Aqua for Blu?

 

I'd be interested in any details you have to share on what sets Blu apart from the speciality dining options on Equinox. Thanks!

 

We book AQ most of the time. The reason we rarely go to speciality restaurants is that we find the food in Blu to be excellent as is the service. Blu is much smaller than the MDR so it is quieter and better atmosphere. Breakfast in Blu is also very nice.

 

AQ is priced higher than a veranda because of Blu and the Persian Garden access so it makes no sense to us to pay even more to eat in a speciality restaurants.

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DaKa2002

DaKa2002

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After our first Celebrity cruise in a verandah cabin we were talked into trying Aqua class. The Persian Gardens access and Blu made a great difference! We have sailed many Celebrity cruises since and only in Aqua Class.

 

The smaller restaurant is quieter, and seating is "anytime." Service has always been exceptional! Never had to wait longer than 10 minutes (we usually eat pretty early anyway). The food has always been better than our MDR experiences (and yes, we have coordinated an MDR dinner or two when the menu of Blu didn't seem to please us). The dinner menu is posted early in the day so you can decide to do a specialty restaurant, coordinate an MDR meal, or hit the buffet if you wish.

 

I really like breakfast in Blu - quiet and not rushed; my wife likes the buffet buffet, especially the made to order omelets. As far as specialty restaurants - no matter what ship we have been on, it has been a hit or miss meal situation (often bad news for the extra cost)

 

For what it is worth, just our opinion.

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Vaux

Vaux

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Forgot to mention that because of the new menu, Darya insisted us to taste as many starters and entrèes as possible and comment so we sometimes had the table full of plates! And thanks to sommelier Alexandar, our glasses were never empty! :)

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NantahalaCruiser

NantahalaCruiser

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Vaux and Cruiser Teacher

 

Was it Darya or Daryl and who was she or he? Waiter or maître d'?

 

We had the great luck to stumble onto a terrific AQ sale for 11N in late September on the Equinox (55+ fare regular $1699 on sale for only $949!) First time on Equinox but 5th time in Blu - really looking forward to it again.

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TomMMD

TomMMD

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We always do Aqua when we cruise (except last year when we were with our kids & grandkids-- Blu is not suitable for young children)

 

We do not belong to a country club but have dined at some with friends who do. My take on country club dining is a) excellent food; b) attentive, personal service; c) running into friends as you dine. Blu is very much like that.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

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When we first booked Aqua (a few years ago) we love everything about Blu. But after a few years (and many cruises) in Blu we realized the food had not changed much in years. Last year, during a 14 day Eclipse Cruise, we finally got tired of the tired Blu menu. It also bothered me that I had to practically beg to get Eggs Benedict at breakfast (its not on the Blu menu). For our next X cruise we decided to forgo Aqua and got a very good deal on a Concierge balcony cabin (we would not pay extra for Concierge...but this was a good deal). The savings we get from not booking Aqua will go towards more dining in Qsine and Murano (our favorite alternative restaurants) and we will probably hold our nose and even dine in the Tuscan.

 

We will likely go back to Aqua (and Blu) on a future cruise...but for now...we want more variety in cuisine. But we do think most folks should try Aqua (and Blu) at least once. It is fun and different.

 

Hank

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BuckeyeMan

BuckeyeMan

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When we first booked Aqua (a few years ago) we love everything about Blu. But after a few years (and many cruises) in Blu we realized the food had not changed much in years. Last year, during a 14 day Eclipse Cruise, we finally got tired of the tired Blu menu. It also bothered me that I had to practically beg to get Eggs Benedict at breakfast (its not on the Blu menu). For our next X cruise we decided to forgo Aqua and got a very good deal on a Concierge balcony cabin (we would not pay extra for Concierge...but this was a good deal). The savings we get from not booking Aqua will go towards more dining in Qsine and Murano (our favorite alternative restaurants) and we will probably hold our nose and even dine in the Tuscan.

 

We will likely go back to Aqua (and Blu) on a future cruise...but for now...we want more variety in cuisine. But we do think most folks should try Aqua (and Blu) at least once. It is fun and different.

 

Hank

 

I ordered Eggs Benedict numerous times in Blu without any issues. Maybe it has changed.

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miched

miched

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While traveling we stopped in a restaurant for dinner. It was great. A year later we also stopped in the he same place but it just didn't seem as great as the first time. We stopped there again and decided that we don't need to stop there again. The initial impression wore off.

 

First time sailing on X we were in AQ. Blu was fantastic. For the next 13 cruises on X we have been in AQ and The novelty of Blu kept decreasing. We did a B2B recently in a regular balcony with select dining because the difference in a varanda and AQ was close to $80/day pp and not worth the cost to us.

 

 

It was our first time in the MDR. We thought it was great and just as good as Blu. More variety and everything was about the same. We had a table for two, had the same bread basket, but no veg munchies. Some of the entree seemed similar. We also had breakfast in the MDR. They came around with the same juices, pastries and coffee plus the menu had more variety. I am sure if we kept dining in the MDR we would also start to feel it was going down hill.

 

 

Point is we all like change and variety and that is what made it so great.

 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

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