I'm torn-AQ or Ultimate specialty pkg

[stavy]

Ok ...I'm torn...don't know if we should bump up to Aqua Class or get the Ultimate Specialty pkg. The difference between the 2 is about $170 pp between the 2 (AQua is the less expensive) though we have already made reservations for murano and tuscan...so an additional $100. pp....What would you do? I know at the specialty you give an additional tip, so that would be more expensive too. I like the thought of the aqua spa, but honestly we didn't use it on our last cruise....Ahhhh...what to do?????:confused::confused::confused:

[stavy]

btw we're currently in a C2

[stavy]

Thanks Orator,

That's the beauty of the Ultimate dining pkg You can eat at any restaurant you want...you could dine in Murano every night, plus lunches and the champagne high tea...Of course if everything is on sale......

[Orator]

I would take AQ. The specialty restaurants were on sale on the vast majority of my Celebrity cruises in recent years. Discounts range from 20 percent to 2 for 1. Usually 20 percent on the first night and late port days. I've found the total cost to be lass than a package and I could select what restaurants to visit and which to skip, thus greater flexibility. Naturally, no guarantees, but I believe that AQ would be a better choice.

[koolforkatz]

I would personally stick with AQ. I love the specialty restaurants but I'm afraid if I had dinner in them every night they'd have to roll me off the ship at the end. Love Blu - great, flavourful food and I never feel stuffed when I leave there.

[Gig103]

I don't think the speciality restaurants have a rotating menu, which would put me off an every night affair. But I wasn't in love with the Blu menus either (I'm in the minority on that i think). Why not enjoy the MDR some nights and specialty restaurants on the others? That's our plan.

[catugirl]

Ok ...I'm torn...don't know if we should bump up to Aqua Class or get the Ultimate Specialty pkg. The difference between the 2 is about $170 pp between the 2 (AQua is the less expensive) though we have already made reservations for murano and tuscan...so an additional $100. pp....What would you do? I know at the specialty you give an additional tip, so that would be more expensive too. I like the thought of the aqua spa, but honestly we didn't use it on our last cruise....Ahhhh...what to do?????:confused::confused::confused:

 

We just stayed in Aqua Class in Jan. on Silhouette and LOVED it! Blu was amazing...great food and incredible service. We also enjoyed all the amenities included with Aqua Class. The canapes every day were a nice touch, as well as the shower with all the jets, the plush towels and special toiletries, the iced tea and bottled water every day, the bottle of sparkling wine on embarkation day and the use of the heated loungers in Persian Garden. We ate in Tuscan Grill one night and enjoyed it but would not have given up Blu for a whole cruise of the specialty restaurants.

[miridj]

I would take AQ. The specialty restaurants were on sale on the vast majority of my Celebrity cruises in recent years. Discounts range from 20 percent to 2 for 1. Usually 20 percent on the first night and late port days. I've found the total cost to be lass than a package and I could select what restaurants to visit and which to skip, thus greater flexibility. Naturally, no guarantees, but I believe that AQ would be a better choice.

 

Where do I go to get these discounts?!

[miched]

Depending on the class of ship.

 

S class I would go with the AQ

 

M class the ultimate package.

[Karen@Steve]

The only thing that might make me AQ is that with the speciality restaurants you'll need to make reservations every day. With Blu you can either make a reservation or just walk in. I fyou were doing traditional dining you would have set times but there is a little more leadway on your arrival time or you can just skip it and do something different. Having paid for all the meals I would feel obligated to make all my reservations.

[Kevnzworld]

Stay with Blu, the menu changes daily. They will offer sales on the specialty restaurants, and once is generally enough, and the menus never change.

They don't have " specials ".

Save the specialty restaurant for a night where you don't like the menu in Blu.

[mobiz]

We sailed the 2wk Southern Caribbean on Eclipse- Jan.26- to Feb 9th. Chose Aqua Class because last year on Solstice the menus and quality of food were excellent. We were very disappointed in Blu this year. As someone else said, we seem to be in the minority. Out of 14 nights we only ate in Blu 5 times. Ate in Murano, Tuscan and Qsine and a few times in the Main Dining room which to our surprise was excellent each time. Only made it to breakfast once in BLU since they close by 9:00 or 9:30 and we are not early risers. We expressed our views to the maitre'd in BLU and they were more than anxious to please us, so much so that it almost got embarrassing. Never quite hit the mark, though. We've also done Concierge Class and thought that wasn't worth the extra $. We love Celebrity but next year we won't be in Aqua Class- it just wasn't worth it.

[GeorgesGal]

Thee Ultimate Specialty Restaurant package gives you ONE Murano and TWO EACH of Tuscany and Qzine, not dine as/where you please. Keep that in mind! And we just loved Blu last year!

 

Donna

[dinosaurdem]

Thee Ultimate Specialty Restaurant package gives you ONE Murano and TWO EACH of Tuscany and Qzine' date=' not dine as/where you please. Keep that in mind!

 

Donna[/quote']

 

Actually, it gives you dinner every night in a specialty restaurant, breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the Bistro or the Sandwich shop on the lawn, the formal tea, and any lunches in the specialty restaurants.

[Orator]

Where do I go to get these discounts?!

 

They are offered onboard and depend on how well the restaurants are selling.You could check with the Maitre d'seach day.

[islandchick]

Ultimate dining package in my opionon. Blu is very overrated. After 2 cruises booked in AC my DH and I have downgraded to a balcony with specialty venues every night. It is the right fit for us. However, I would probably only do this on an S class ship as M class ships do not have many dining venues.

[pnsnkr]

Ok ...I'm torn...don't know if we should bump up to Aqua Class or get the Ultimate Specialty pkg.

 

We've experienced AQ on both the M class as well as the S class ships

 

There are folks who love the AQ and then there are folks like us who believe it's better to spend the money elsewhere. Btw, on S class ships, we don't care much for Concierge Class(CC) either.

 

If you are interested in Elite Status (we don't) then AQ and CC gets you an extra point per sailing.

 

All said, I've heard from Celebrity that there are only a limited number of these Ultimate Specialty packages offered per sailing. Something to keep in mind before making the decision.

[SusieV]

We're not a fan of Blu and are getting the Ultimate Specialty package on our upcoming Reflection trip. I didn't like the choices on the 4 and 5 night packages since we like multiple trips to Murano, but either way we didn't really enjoy Blu.

[stavy]

Thanks...food for thought:p