Reservations at Blu

[dkjretired]

Hi,

 

Thank you and all the others who are being so patient with me. I now understand I can not access main restaurant as we are Aqua even though when booking I am given that option. I have actually been able to make a reservation online for the main dining room. I assume this is more of the same IT issues when booking. So, given that we are going to be turned away, is the right thing to do now to cancel that reservation?

 

Thanks again to all for straightening me out.

 

I would because it frees up other people to use those spaces.

[hcat]

Aqua/Blu guests do not "choose" an anytime option, it is the default. I think you are really confused about some things.

 

Not to beat a dead horse, but Blu is your assigned dining room. I doubt you will be able to go to the MDR on the first night, but with special, prior arrangement you may be able to later in the week. If you just want to "see" it, why not go for lunch (or breakfast) when it is open seating and you don't have to make prior arrangements?

 

We are just 2 ...AQ class....but we always try for MDR res early on the first night to enjoy Prime Rib which is not on the on BLU menu. This has not been a problem with BLU maitre d or MDR. .They are usually wid

open at the earliest times in MDR. Group of 6 to 8 would seem to be more difficult,

 

(On M class they might let us order Prime Rib in BLU as dining rm is shared with MDR, but not likely on an S class ship.)

[dkjretired]

One more thing, when you all arrive in your rooms there will be a letter explaining the open dining concept in Blu. They will however suggest a time to eat on the first night but you can just ignore that time.

[Miaminice]

I now understand I can not access main restaurant as we are Aqua even though when booking I am given that option. I have actually been able to make a reservation online for the main dining room.

 

:D

 

Even though BLU is your assigned restaurant (it is actually the main reason for most Aqua fans to book AQ) it doesn´t mean that you can not go to the MDR. Of course you can!

 

Some people will tell you you can´t because they are afraid you might take space away from them in the MDR ;)

 

If you want to go to the MDR, you just go to the Maitre at the entrance and he/she will find you a table. Of course it will not be so easy with a group of 8 and it might take some time, but it is no problem. You can also ask the Maitre at Blu to make arrangements in the MDR for you.

 

So if you feel like trying the MDR - by all means do so!

 

HOWEVER, I would strongly advise NOT doing it on the first night! The first night of a cruise is the most hectic night. IMHO you will add unnecessary stress to it - for yourselves and others.

[warmwinds]

I personally would wait to see what all the menus are before deciding where to go - we travel at off-peak times so the specialties have never been sold out. I'd hate to book an alternative then find out my favorite thing was on the Blu menu that night. You can often see the Blu dinner menus right after breakfast (they are hidden on the back of the breakfast sign - usually - at least that has been our experience most times) - if not just ask the Maitre d' in Blu if they have the evening's menus yet.

[bEwAbG]

That is the main dining room onboard the ship you are sailing. It is not a specialty restaurant and it certainly does not take reservations. It is for passengers who are sailing in inside, balcony and concierge class cabins. The tables in this restaurant are assigned to you for the entire cruise, reservations are not taken.

 

To clarify, you certainly can do advance reservations in the MDR if you have select dining. It's been that way for years.

 

I think it's odd that the OP was given the choice to do so since they're going to be Aqua. However, I just checked my next cruise, which is in a suite, and I, too, have the option to add "Celebrity Select Dining" and make a reservation for it. The description is for the MDR. I haven't been in the cruise planner in a while, but I'm pretty sure this is something new. Maybe in anticipation of people wanting to try the new dining rooms on Edge? It's certainly confusing, especially if you're brand new to the line.

[CruisersTimesThree]

To clarify, you certainly can do advance reservations in the MDR if you have select dining. It's been that way for years.

 

I think it's odd that the OP was given the choice to do so since they're going to be Aqua. However, I just checked my next cruise, which is in a suite, and I, too, have the option to add "Celebrity Select Dining" and make a reservation for it. The description is for the MDR. I haven't been in the cruise planner in a while, but I'm pretty sure this is something new. Maybe in anticipation of people wanting to try the new dining rooms on Edge? It's certainly confusing, especially if you're brand new to the line.

 

 

 

Yes, I should have been more specific. You can make reservations in select dining, but not if you are early or late seating in the MDR.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[dkjretired]

To clarify, you certainly can do advance reservations in the MDR if you have select dining. It's been that way for years.

 

I think it's odd that the OP was given the choice to do so since they're going to be Aqua. However, I just checked my next cruise, which is in a suite, and I, too, have the option to add "Celebrity Select Dining" and make a reservation for it. The description is for the MDR. I haven't been in the cruise planner in a while, but I'm pretty sure this is something new. Maybe in anticipation of people wanting to try the new dining rooms on Edge? It's certainly confusing, especially if you're brand new to the line.

 

It’s been that way since Blu was established, Celebrity can’t get their computer system right.

[bEwAbG]

It’s been that way since Blu was established, Celebrity can’t get their computer system right.

 

Doesn't surprise me, sorry to say. I guess I just haven't looked at dining reservations online in the past since I always book suites.

[cangelmd]

I think someone already said this, but the round tables for 6 are limited in Blu. First night is the most hectic night. It might be a good idea for someone to go speak to the Blu maitre d at sometime before muster drill that first night and just ask/arrange a good time for your group to show up for dinner. They will likely ask you afterwards if that time works for your party and make recommendations for the other evenings. Alternatively if your group enjoys pre-dinner drinks and conversation time, waiting for a table may not matter too much to you.

 

 

We were warned about this on our first Aqua cruise, and took advantage of the Murano discount for that first night. We swung by Blu just to see and there was a line at the time we would have eaten, and looking past the hostess stand, the restaurant looked pretty full, so going to Murano was a good choice for us. We had a wait the second evening as well, but it was only long enough to get a drink at the adjacent bar - maybe 5-10 minutes.

 

 

I'm just not certain how a group of 6 would fare - there are some round tables for 6 that would be perfect, but limited in number. The staff could also put tables together, but if they are busy, there might not be 3 empty tables immediately available to move together.

 

The staff very much wants to make you happy and will bend over backwards to do so. I think given that, it behooves us as good guests to learn the system and be flexible enough to work with the flow not against it. The more people in the group, the more you may need to be flexible, but it sounds like you are trying to exactly that.

 

 

Have a wonderful cruise.