Reserving times in BLU online

[benkon]

We are booked in a Prime Aqua Class on an upcoming Infinity sailing.  Can someone please explain why I can use the online Cruise Planner to reserve an actual dining time (we have Anytime Dining) in Trellis but not in Blu?

 

Thanks, in advance.

[CruisinBanka]

Blu does not accept reservations. It is strictly walk up. You will not have a problem getting seated although you could have a 10-15 minute wait if you go between 7-8pm. Enjoy!

[dcbiker97]

Blu doesn’t (and has never) take reservations so there’s no portal to make them online. You just show up when you’d like to dine. 

[hubofhockey]

16 minutes ago, benkon said:

We are booked in a Prime Aqua Class on an upcoming Infinity sailing.  Can someone please explain why I can use the online Cruise Planner to reserve an actual dining time (we have Anytime Dining) in Trellis but not in Blu?

 

Thanks, in advance.

I don’t believe that being Prime Aqua Class gives you preference at Blu and the ability to reserve there.  I would think “Prime” only means that you paid for a location.  I would guess that, at some point, Celebrity will allow passengers to reserve at Blu for a fee, as a new revenue source.  If they do, they will devalue Aqua for everyone else.

[Ken the cruiser]

7 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

I don’t believe that being Prime Aqua Class gives you preference at Blu and the ability to reserve there.  I would think “Prime” only means that you paid for a location.  I would guess that, at some point, Celebrity will allow passengers to reserve at Blu for a fee, as a new revenue source.  If they do, they will devalue Aqua for everyone else.

That would not be a smart move on Celebrity's part. We pay the extra cost for booking an Aqua cabin for the sole purpose of being able to dine in Blu. If Celebrity ever decides to add a fee to dine in Blu, there would be absolutely no purpose for us to book Aqua cabins any longer.

 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[CruisinBanka]

23 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

That would not be a smart move on Celebrity's part. We pay the extra cost for booking an Aqua cabin for the sole purpose of being able to dine in Blu. If Celebrity ever decides to add a fee to dine in Blu, there would be absolutely no purpose for us to book Aqua cabins any longer.

 

I agree. The large premium we now pay to sail Aqua, with Blu being the main attraction, more than compensates for the need to charge a separate fee. 

[hubofhockey]

26 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

That would not be a smart move on Celebrity's part. We pay the extra cost for booking an Aqua cabin for the sole purpose of being able to dine in Blu. If Celebrity ever decides to add a fee to dine in Blu, there would be absolutely no purpose for us to book Aqua cabins any longer.

 

I didn’t mean charge everyone a fee to dine in Blu.  What I meant was giving Prime Aqua passengers an option to reserve certain time slots in Blu for a fee.  For example, a Prime Aqua could pay $10 a day for a 7:15 pm seating in Blu. They could make this applicable only to seating between 7 and 8.  The other Aqua passengers would still dine as they usually do.  

Edited August 5, 2023 by hubofhockey

[Mark_K]

10 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

I didn’t mean charge everyone a fee to dine in Blu.  What I meant was giving Prime Aqua passengers an option to reserve certain time slots in Blu for a fee.  For example, a Prime Aqua could pay $10 a day for a 7:15 pm seating in Blu. They could make this applicable only to seating between 7 and 8.  The other Aqua passengers would still dine as they usually do.  

Why would you pay for a reservation when you never have to wait more than a few minutes without one?

[bigbenboys]

1 hour ago, benkon said:

We are booked in a Prime Aqua Class on an upcoming Infinity sailing.  Can someone please explain why I can use the online Cruise Planner to reserve an actual dining time (we have Anytime Dining) in Trellis but not in Blu?

 

Thanks, in advance.

All Prime Aqua Class means is prime location of your cabin. Blu is you assigned dining. Celebrity calls it Select Dining. For years now you can order off the MDR menu on Celebrity M-Class and S-Class ships in Blu. Infinity is a M Class ship. The only reason to dine in Trellis is if you are traveling with family or friends that are assigned to the MDR.

In Blu we just ask to see the MDR menu and we order off of both menus. Blu seats about 86 guest on the M-Class ships.

Edited August 5, 2023 by bigbenboys
added info

[Ken the cruiser]

2 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

I didn’t mean charge everyone a fee to dine in Blu.  What I meant was giving Prime Aqua passengers an option to reserve certain time slots in Blu for a fee.  

The issue with making Prime Aqua (A1) cabin passengers "special" is that pretty much everyone that has cruised with Celebrity before can book a Prime Aqua (A1) cabin for the price of a regular Aqua (A2) cabin. So they are really not paying anything more for that Prime Aqua cabin. 

 

One-Category Upgrade

One-category upgrade requests must be made at the time of booking and apply only for upgrades within the supercategory, depending on availability. Example of a super category upgrade in AquaClass: A2 to A1. Upgrades available from categories 11- A1 on all Celebrity ships except Galapagos voyages.

[High on the Seas]

17 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

I didn’t mean charge everyone a fee to dine in Blu.  What I meant was giving Prime Aqua passengers an option to reserve certain time slots in Blu for a fee.  For example, a Prime Aqua could pay $10 a day for a 7:15 pm seating in Blu. They could make this applicable only to seating between 7 and 8.  The other Aqua passengers would still dine as they usually do.  

Blu doesn’t have capacity to serve all Aqua class guests all at the same time and giving certain Aqua class guests priority on reserving seats would only go to alienate other Aqua class passengers who have paid a premium to stay in that class but chose to stay in a room that Celebrity has not deemed a “prime” location. If there is a wait they give you a pager. I have waited up to 20-25 minutes but that was when my wife and I wanted a specific waiter or seating location during the busy dinner hours. 

[mrgabriel]

1 hour ago, benkon said:

We are booked in a Prime Aqua Class on an upcoming Infinity sailing.  Can someone please explain why I can use the online Cruise Planner to reserve an actual dining time (we have Anytime Dining) in Trellis but not in Blu?

 

Thanks, in advance.

"Prime" refers to your cabin location only. You get to wait in line like the rest of us who have paid beaucoup dollars for AQ 😉 And as others have mentioned, there will likely be a wait if you arrive between about 7 and 8:15. Sometimes we have the same server but if we don't want to wait, we've been seated with different servers.

[mrgabriel]

47 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

I didn’t mean charge everyone a fee to dine in Blu.  What I meant was giving Prime Aqua passengers an option to reserve certain time slots in Blu for a fee.  For example, a Prime Aqua could pay $10 a day for a 7:15 pm seating in Blu. They could make this applicable only to seating between 7 and 8.  The other Aqua passengers would still dine as they usually do.  

 

Why would that make sense? It's a great way to alienate people who are already paying a high premium for Blu. 

 

There is another solution in place if people want pre-reserved dining times every evening, they can book specialty dining. 

[cruisestitch]

2 hours ago, benkon said:

We are booked in a Prime Aqua Class on an upcoming Infinity sailing.  Can someone please explain why I can use the online Cruise Planner to reserve an actual dining time (we have Anytime Dining) in Trellis but not in Blu?

 

Thanks, in advance.

It is confusing.  You have run into an artefact of the Celebrity booking system. It makes it look like you can reserve dining times in Trellis but you actually can’t.  If you are in Aqua class your dining room is Blu, not Trellis.  Just ignore any references to Trellis.

 

as to Blu, it does not take reservations. It is walk-in only.  

[cruisestitch]

1 hour ago, hubofhockey said:

I don’t believe that being Prime Aqua Class gives you preference at Blu and the ability to reserve there.  I would think “Prime” only means that you paid for a location.  I would guess that, at some point, Celebrity will allow passengers to reserve at Blu for a fee, as a new revenue source.  If they do, they will devalue Aqua for everyone else.

This is how rumors get started 

[2theship]

We’ve cruised in Aqua Class a number of times and I can remember extended waits twice. Usually it’s been a few minutes at most. If you’re a larger party, they may try to accommodate a planned seating time.

[neverlaysup]

The only this I have waited for BLU was when we went to dine earlier than normal. We arrived at 7:00 versus our normal 8:00 and the room was full (on Apex). On that particular cruise, everyone was attempting to dine between 6 and 6:30. When we dined later, we always got a great table and the restaurant was only 1/3 full.

[benkon]

3 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

I don’t believe that being Prime Aqua Class gives you preference at Blu and the ability to reserve there.  I would think “Prime” only means that you paid for a location.  I would guess that, at some point, Celebrity will allow passengers to reserve at Blu for a fee, as a new revenue source.  If they do, they will devalue Aqua for everyone else.

I wasn't implying that "Prime" meant preferential.  I'm aware it applies to the location.  I was only stating my cabin designation as it is on my reservation.  I was only saying it makes no sense that they allow time selections in Trellis, but not Blu.   

[benkon]

2 hours ago, mrgabriel said:

"Prime" refers to your cabin location only. You get to wait in line like the rest of us who have paid beaucoup dollars for AQ 😉 And as others have mentioned, there will likely be a wait if you arrive between about 7 and 8:15. Sometimes we have the same server but if we don't want to wait, we've been seated with different servers.

Gosh, you guys are harsh.  I was only stating my cabin class as it is on my reservation, not implying I was someone special who doesn't have to wait in line "with the rest" of you.  Geez.  

[1025cruise]

As has been stated, Blu doesn't allow reservations. Also note that since your assigned dining room is Blu, there is a chance your MDR reservations will be canceled. If you wish to eat in the MDR versus Blu, you are supposed to make arrangements with the Maitre D on board.

[cruisestitch]

The Trellis reservations WILL be canceled.  😀

[benkon]

2 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

It is confusing.  You have run into an artefact of the Celebrity booking system. It makes it look like you can reserve dining times in Trellis but you actually can’t.  If you are in Aqua class your dining room is Blu, not Trellis.  Just ignore any references to Trellis.

 

as to Blu, it does not take reservations. It is walk-in only.  

Thanks.

[bikerunner]

4 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

I don’t believe that being Prime Aqua Class gives you preference at Blu and the ability to reserve there.  I would think “Prime” only means that you paid for a location.  I would guess that, at some point, Celebrity will allow passengers to reserve at Blu for a fee, as a new revenue source.  If they do, they will devalue Aqua for everyone else.

Do not see that coming as the room is barely big enough for the aqua class rooms.  This would be the same thinking that guests can pay an extra fee and it at luminae.  Or guests paying for access to Retreat lounge etc.  That I dont think they will ever try, 

[hcat]

4 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

I didn’t mean charge everyone a fee to dine in Blu.  What I meant was giving Prime Aqua passengers an option to reserve certain time slots in Blu for a fee.  For example, a Prime Aqua could pay $10 a day for a 7:15 pm seating in Blu. They could make this applicable only to seating between 7 and 8.  The other Aqua passengers would still dine as they usually do.  

not needed..  and complicating a simple systrm..

 

we have AQ Prime..it's just abt location.. We show up when we are ready..never a ling wait!

 

if others had res that would limit and  defeat the just show up system..

[hubofhockey]

5 hours ago, Mark_K said:

Why would you pay for a reservation when you never have to wait more than a few minutes without one?

People will pay for anything. Sometimes, people believe there is extra value if you pay more.  Not me, but they’re out there.