Still Confused about Aqua Dining

[mfs2k]

I’m booked in Aqua on Equinox March 23 (7 nights). I understand my DR is Blu. We will go there on night 1.

We’ve booked Murano and Tuscan on nights 3 and 5. When I booked my cruise, I was asked to select a dining time. I selected 8:30pm. 

 

My question is this:  

If we want to experience the MDR on nights 2,4,6 or 7 for dinner, instead of Blu, what do we do?

[dkjretired]

10 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

I’m booked in Aqua on Equinox March 23 (7 nights). I understand my DR is Blu. We will go there on night 1.

We’ve booked Murano and Tuscan on nights 3 and 5. When I booked my cruise, I was asked to select a dining time. I selected 8:30pm. 

 

My question is this:  

If we want to experience the MDR on nights 2,4,6 or 7 for dinner, instead of Blu, what do we do?

 

First off, the dining time is only for the computer, cCelebritys wonderful IT department can’t figure out how to put on the Computer that Blu is anytime dining all the time. This is probably the most asked question on this board about Blu.

 

As stated Blu is anytime dining all the time but if you wish to eat 

in the MDR, see either Mairtre’d.  Be advised many of the items in the MDR may be ordered in Blu.

you will receive an envelope in your room explaining all this.

Edited February 11, 2019 by dkjretired

[ricka47]

I think that you could just talk to the manager in Blu.  But, Blu is very nice and, for us, we wouldn't consider going to the MDR instead of Blu.  By the way, we'll be on the same cruise (in Aqua Class) with you!

[Longboysfan]

I would Stay in Blu.

This is an upscale dining room compared to MDR.

Last cruise I did Tuscan Grill - when in Blu. 

Unless there is something you can't pass up in the other upscale dining places - Blu is just as good.

 

As for the MDR seating times - just look above.

 

But I would stay in Blu.

 

Also get up early a few times the ship is at sea and go to Blu.  Get a table next to the window.  Great way to have something to eat. 

 

[mfs2k]

52 minutes ago, ricka47 said:

By the way, we'll be on the same cruise (in Aqua Class) with you!

 

Nice !  Hope we have a chance to meet at the Cruise Connections/Cruise Critic meetup.  I am looking forward to Blu, but I also want to experience as much as I can.  

[Xport]

Despite the fact that you've selected an 8:30 PM dining time, you did so solely to satisfy antiquated requirements of Celebrity's computer systems.  Blu offers Select Dining--that is, arrive when you wish to be seated during dinner hours--rather than fixed dining times and does not accept reservations--for a time or a specific table--for flexible dining.

 

Upon arriving in you stateroom on embarkation day, you will likely find a letter from Blu's Maitre 'D which suggests a dining time for first night dinner.  That practice is intended to allow the Blu Maitre 'D to "level out" dining demand on the first night until such time as he/she can gauge the dining time preferences of a new group of guests but is--by no means--binding; you may still show up when you wish during operating hours on the first night.

 

Having completed 18 AquaClass cruises, I can recall only one instance--it happened to be a "first night" when a very significant number of AquaClass guests all seemed to arrive at Blu at the same time--in which I needed to wait about twenty minutes for a table [they will give you a "beeper" to alert you when it is ready should you choose to go to nearby Ensemble Lounge for a drink].  Otherwise--perhaps I've been lucky--I've always been seated immediately or within a matter of a few minutes.  Despite coming across as somewhat cumbersome, the system has always worked very well for me.

 

As a courtesy, it will be appreciated if you notify the Blu Maitre 'D or Hostess/Host of your Specialty Dining plans in advance so they not expect you.

 

Should you wish to dine in the Main Dining Room and know in advance--day/time--when you want to do so, it is most efficient to have the Blu Maitre 'D or Hostess/Host make a reservation for you, you'll show up at the MDR Select Dining Room entry, join the "with reservation" line, and they'll be expecting you.  If you decide to dine in the MDR on an impromptu base, show up at the MDR Select Dining Room entry when you wish, join the "without reservation line, and they will seat you either immediately or when a table becomes available.

 

Blu does not offer the full MDR menu; rather they offer a few appetizer, entrée [steak, chicken, salmon], and desert favorites from the MDR menu that are available nightly in both restaurants.  The Blu menu isn't available in the Main Dining Room.  On Solstice-Class ships [Equinox is one of them], Blu and the MDR do not share a galley.

 

Enjoy your cruise and enjoy Blu; obviously I'm a fan!  

[mfs2k]

31 minutes ago, Xport said:

Blu does not offer the full MDR menu; rather they offer a few appetizer, entrée [steak, chicken, salmon], and desert favorites from the MDR menu that are available nightly in both restaurants.  The Blu menu isn't available in the Main Dining Room.  On Solstice-Class ships [Equinox is one of them], Blu and the MDR do not share a galley.

 

Are the menus for Blu and MDR available in advance each morning/afternoon, so if either my wife or I don't care for the Blu menu, we can decide that day to switch to the MDR?

[Xport]

(At a minimum, current night dinner menus are posted outside the entrances to the dining rooms [early if a port day, later on a sea day--after lunch--when the MDR serves lunch (Blu does not serve lunch)].

 

Celebrity is currently testing a smart phone application aboard three ships which, among other functionalities, apparently displays the menus for each night of the cruise; I've not used it yet but will do so while aboard Edge next month.  To the best of my knowledge, the app has not yet been introduced [they are working through "bugs''} for use aboard Equinox and I've not seen a schedule for fleet-wide rollout.

 

At a minimum, I believe that the Blu Maitre 'D or Hostess/Host will be able to provide you with a preview of the next night's menus in both Blu and the Main Dining Room upon request...  On a seven night cruise, they may be able to provide you with previews of both menus--day-by-day--for the entire seven days.  

Edited February 11, 2019 by Xport

[justcrusn]

11 hours ago, mfs2k said:

 

Are the menus for Blu and MDR available in advance each morning/afternoon, so if either my wife or I don't care for the Blu menu, we can decide that day to switch to the MDR?

We have stopped by during the day to “check out” the menus.

they're posted in the afternoon after lunch at the door.

Blu is your assigned dining room, there is NO seat for you in the mdr unless they make one. I predict you will be very happy in Blu. It is the reason aqua exists.

Someone once said about aqua class “they took the worst cabins on the ship and gave the them the best restaurant”

[whatyouknowsays]

13 hours ago, mfs2k said:

I’m booked in Aqua on Equinox March 23 (7 nights). I understand my DR is Blu. We will go there on night 1.

We’ve booked Murano and Tuscan on nights 3 and 5. When I booked my cruise, I was asked to select a dining time. I selected 8:30pm. 

 

My question is this:  

If we want to experience the MDR on nights 2,4,6 or 7 for dinner, instead of Blu, what do we do?

Don't do it!  It is nowhere near the level of service or food you will get in Blu.  If you want something from the main dining venue, ask your waiter the evening before.  They will do their best to accommodate.   

[NantahalaCruiser]

13 hours ago, mfs2k said:

I’m booked in Aqua on Equinox March 23 (7 nights). I understand my DR is Blu. We will go there on night 1.

We’ve booked Murano and Tuscan on nights 3 and 5. When I booked my cruise, I was asked to select a dining time. I selected 8:30pm. 

 

My question is this:  

If we want to experience the MDR on nights 2,4,6 or 7 for dinner, instead of Blu, what do we do?

Most people who book an Aqua cabin do so especially to eat in the Blu Restaurant. So I am curious to know why you decided to book in Aqua if you are considering having several of your meals in specialty restaurants and even the lesser quality (food and service) MDR.  By the way, Blu is also open for breakfast every morning - give it a try!

 

No matter where you decide to eat, have a wonderful cruise.

[hubofhockey]

Agree with others.  The last time we had Blu, we did go in the MDR once to have dinner with people we met on the cruise.  It was a nice experience to dine with new people we met, but the dining experience falls short of the more intimate Blu.  

[mfs2k]

34 minutes ago, NantahalaCruiser said:

Most people who book an Aqua cabin do so especially to eat in the Blu Restaurant. So I am curious to know why you decided to book in Aqua if you are considering having several of your meals in specialty restaurants and even the lesser quality (food and service) MDR.  By the way, Blu is also open for breakfast every morning - give it a try!

 

No matter where you decide to eat, have a wonderful cruise.

 

You’re inquisitive...

 

I booked Concierge class in early January for my March Equinox cruise. First time on Celebrity. . A week later there was a $300 price drop so I upgraded to Aqua Class for free since I already was fully paid. We want to experience as much as we can. 

[Oville]

1 minute ago, mfs2k said:

 

You’re inquisitive...

 

I booked Concierge class in early January for my March Equinox cruise. First time on Celebrity. . A week later there was a $300 price drop so I upgraded to Aqua Class for free since I already was fully paid. We want to experience as much as we can. 

First off try the speciality restaurants, we always book a couple while dining in Blu or Luminae.  Personally we are not fans of the MDR but if you want to try it go for it.  It will be a great way to make a comparison with Blu.  Most importantly, enjoy you cruise.

[jelayne]

On most cruises one of the best nights to dine in Blu is night 5 when they have short  ribs.  We will go to Blu for short ribs even when in Luminae. 

If you want to try the main dining room go 1 night.  But in a 7 night cruise 2 speciality restaurants and 1 MDR leaves you 4 in Blu, we think Blu is better than Tuscan, but understand wanting to try as many things as possible.  

[Oville]

7 minutes ago, jelayne said:

On most cruises one of the best nights to dine in Blu is night 5 when they have short  ribs.  We will go to Blu for short ribs even when in Luminae.   

This gave me a chuckle.  The worst short ribs I’ve ever had were in Luminae, a big dish of blubber. It was so bad it turned me off to short ribs for a few years. I’ve tried them again recently (November) in Blu and again on Viking Ocean (January) and they were fine but that blubber experience still lingers.  Katie

[Mirage]

12 hours ago, Xport said:

 

Celebrity is currently testing a smart phone application aboard three ships which, among other functionalities, apparently displays the menus for each night of the cruise; I've not used it yet but will do so while aboard Edge next month.  To the best of my knowledge, the app has not yet been introduced [they are working through "bugs''} for use aboard Equinox and I've not seen a schedule for fleet-wide rollout.

 

I am on the same cruise. I just checked the Celebrity Onboard app.  It does show Equinox and does list the menus for the various restaurants for each day.

 

Last week Aqua was same price as Concierge. So some chose Aqua. Having cruised in Suites, Aqua and Concierge, restaurant choice is up to the individual. We like Luminae quite well, yet enjoy the MDR for the table guests and Blu is okay for us, yet for this cruise, same price Aqua or Concierge we chose Concierge for cabin location.

 

Mirage

Edited February 12, 2019 by Mirage
spelling

[mfs2k]

47 minutes ago, Oville said:

First off try the speciality restaurants, we always book a couple while dining in Blu or Luminae.  Personally we are not fans of the MDR but if you want to try it go for it.  It will be a great way to make a comparison with Blu.  Most importantly, enjoy you cruise.

 

I think that’s the plan. 

 

On our carnival cruises, the specialty restaurants were the highlights of our trip. I’m sure blu will be wonderful but we don’t want to eat there every night. We like variety

[mfs2k]

24 minutes ago, Oville said:

This gave me a chuckle.  The worst short ribs I’ve ever had were in Luminae, a big dish of blubber. It was so bad it turned me off to short ribs for a few years. I’ve tried them again recently (November) in Blu and again on Viking Ocean (January) and they were fine but that blubber experience still lingers.  Katie

 

We go out to eat a lot in nice restaurants. I like short ribs but I’m not sure I’m a fan of blubber. LOL

Edited February 12, 2019 by mfs2k

[mfs2k]

24 minutes ago, Mirage said:

for us, yet for this cruise, same price Aqua or Concierge we chose Concierge for cabin location

 

I think I got a good Cabin location. I’m aft under a suite. Reviews for the cabin say it’s quiet. 

[mfs2k]

45 minutes ago, jelayne said:

but understand wanting to try as many things as possible.

 

This is key for us on our first celebrity cruise. It’s like restaurant speed dating. 

[Oville]

50 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

This is key for us on our first celebrity cruise. It’s like restaurant speed dating. 

[cruiserchuck]

1 hour ago, mfs2k said:

 

I think I got a good Cabin location. I’m aft under a suite. Reviews for the cabin say it’s quiet. 

 

That is a good location.  We always try to be located in that area.

[dkjretired]

6 hours ago, jelayne said:

On most cruises one of the best nights to dine in Blu is night 5 when they have short  ribs.  We will go to Blu for short ribs even when in Luminae. 

If you want to try the main dining room go 1 night.  But in a 7 night cruise 2 speciality restaurants and 1 MDR leaves you 4 in Blu, we think Blu is better than Tuscan, but understand wanting to try as many things as possible.  

 

Disagree respectfully about the first night.  On many cruise Blu has a very nice Filet Mignon on the first night, have had it on all my Blu cruises.  

[mfs2k]

2 hours ago, dkjretired said:

 

Disagree respectfully about the first night.  On many cruise Blu has a very nice Filet Mignon on the first night, have had it on all my Blu cruises.  

 

My wife would enjoy that filet mignon. Thank you