Compare traditional dining to Blu

[sunshine nana]

Our first cruise was with Princess at the last minute and early dining was closed, so we went with anytime and liked it. Since then, we have done 3 more with anytime on Princess and we were able to reserve the same table with the same waiters every night at 6pm which was almost like traditional. This spring, we tried our first Celebrity and really liked Blu (we had a suite). We now are looking at another Celebrity cruise and are booking soon enough that we got a table for 2 in the 6:15 traditional seating. Aqua would be about $1,000 more for a less desirable cabin. I am wondering if we would like traditional almost as much as Blu. For the money saved, we could go to a specialty a few night. Comments?

[Orator]

Our first cruise was with Princess at the last minute and early dining was closed, so we went with anytime and liked it. Since then, we have done 3 more with anytime on Princess and we were able to reserve the same table with the same waiters every night at 6pm which was almost like traditional. This spring, we tried our first Celebrity and really liked Blu (we had a suite). We now are looking at another Celebrity cruise and are booking soon enough that we got a table for 2 in the 6:15 traditional seating. Aqua would be about $1,000 more for a less desirable cabin. I am wondering if we would like traditional almost as much as Blu. For the money saved, we could go to a specialty a few night. Comments?

 

You could do "Select" dining and almost duplicate what you did on Princess. No guarantee that you'll get the same table and waiter, but a good possibility if you dine before 6:30PM.

I've been in AQ for at least 10 cruises and a big fan. Just booked 2 more cruises in AQ. However, IMHO the new menu offered in the MDR has narrowed the gap between AQ and the MDR. Better choices for me than before and better preparation. I will no longer pay a substantial premium for the opportunity to dine in Blu. A few hundred, yes, but not more than that.

[sunshine nana]

Thanks for the reply. We did have "select" for our last cruise and had to prepay tips. I was surprised because Princess does not do that.Since we ate in Blu most nights, we also had to pay $5 each to Blu. How do tips work if we stay in Traditional? Is our card charged each day or do we tip the waiters at the end?Thanks

[Orator]

Thanks for the reply. We did have "select" for our last cruise and had to prepay tips. I was surprised because Princess does not do that.Since we ate in Blu most nights, we also had to pay $5 each to Blu. How do tips work if we stay in Traditional? Is our card charged each day or do we tip the waiters at the end?Thanks

 

You tip at the end. Here's a trick: Sign up for Traditional and when you board go to the MDR area where they are handling dining arrangements and switch to Select. You would not have prepaid tips since you were in Traditional and your account will be charged on a daily basis if you change to Select. The one pitfall in using this strategy is that you could find that Select is full and you won't be able to change. In Traditional you would pay your tips at the end. I don't see I problem in prepaying since I generally give more than the minimum. Once onboard you have an option to increase or decrease your tips.

[Phxazzcruisers]

Taste in food is really subjective. We love Blu and always take Aqua Class rooms just to be able to eat there. That being said, we have never, in the past, been disappointed with the MDR before Aqua Class and Blu came about. We have also always enjoyed the Specialty restaurants. I guess you can say we log e the food on Celebrity. I kow this does not help a lot. Some people love Blu, some do not. It is really hard to decide that for you

[helpthejuggler]

Last time the Maitre'd came round at the end of service with the head chef.

He asked if there was anything we would like. I mentioned that I love Eton Mess.

He made a note and it was available the next night.

 

That would never happen in the MDR.

[Orator]

Last time the Maitre'd came round at the end of service with the head chef.

He asked if there was anything we would like. I mentioned that I love Eton Mess.

He made a note and it was available the next night.

 

That would never happen in the MDR.

 

Don't know about that. I've had special meals in the MDR. Asked one Chef if he could make wiener schnitzel and he did. It was great! A Greek Chef on one of our cruises made moussaka for the table. Unfortunately, not so great. You just need to ask and if they can, they will. In both cases my DW wrote a "thank you" note and I put in an "Attention to Detail" Card. We were thanked with a gift of chocolate covered strwberries that were delivered to our cabin.

[sunshine nana]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I think we will stay with traditional this time. We did not eat dinner at all in the MDR and had only one lunch there, so it's hard to compare it to Blu.It seemed strange that we prepaid tips to MDR and never ate there. Guess it all works out in the end.I know that some of the prepaid tips went to the steward and others, but we ate all dinners and breakfasts in Blu or specialties.We did eat a few lunches in the buffet.

[cruisestitch]

You're right, SunshineNana, some of the pre-paid tips went to your room steward. The rest goes to the wait staff -- who work not only the MDR but the buffet, the pool grill, and so forth. So they were there working hard even if you didn't always see them. Given that you will save so much money, I say go for the cheaper cabin and use the money to enjoy specialty dinners as you choose.

[hmorrow]

There is, imho, no comparing Blu and the MDR.

Blu is a small intimate, wonderful, fine dining experience. Every night. Hot food, excellent, timely service.

I will only cruise in AQ on Celebrity, in order to partake of Blu.

 

We couldn't even get mustard in the MDR at lunch for my husbands hot dog. Who ever heard of not having mustard with a hotdog? After 10 minutes, the waiter came back and said he couldn't find any??????????

 

Too bad Blu isn't open for lunch.

 

Of course if it were, we wouldn't even be talking about mustard, because we would not be having hot dogs!!!

[3418ahl]

I am just curious. The price difference between Aqua and a veranda on an 11 night cruise was about $300 pp. For this amount, I can enjoy the specialty restaurants for about 8 of the 11 nights, if I like. Once you have been to the french one (Murano or whatever the other ships name it!) three times, they will make you whatever you request that is not on the menu. Why pay the extra for Aqua???