Blu and special requests and everyday menu

[welshfamily]

Last year on the Eclipse we tried Blu for the first time and on occasion struggled to find starters my son could eat. My son has dietary problems/restrictions. Eventually after an small uprising by Blu passengers the everyday starters and desserts found in the main dinning room became available and our problem was solved.

 

Yesterday my husband upgraded us to AQ for our next cruise as we did all enjoy everything else.

 

 

How can I solve this problem. We did try to talk to the Maitre'd, but he wasn't particularly helpful. Has anyone else ordered shrimp cocktails or fruit plates most nights in Blu and managed to get them. Is there anyone on board whom we can talk to or was it just the Eclipse ? We will be on the Reflection this time. Has anyone made a special request on this ship.

 

Thanks all

[miXterOB]

We have only made one special request in Blu and it was on the Equinox.

It was done quite nicely but we got the ball rolling the previous evening, not the day of and that seems to make everyone happy most importantly... the folks making the request, specifically me.

[City_Woman]

Last year on the Eclipse we tried Blu for the first time and on occasion struggled to find starters my son could eat. My son has dietary problems/restrictions. Eventually after an small uprising by Blu passengers the everyday starters and desserts found in the main dinning room became available and our problem was solved.

 

Yesterday my husband upgraded us to AQ for our next cruise as we did all enjoy everything else.

 

 

How can I solve this problem. We did try to talk to the Maitre'd, but he wasn't particularly helpful. Has anyone else ordered shrimp cocktails or fruit plates most nights in Blu and managed to get them. Is there anyone on board whom we can talk to or was it just the Eclipse ? We will be on the Reflection this time. Has anyone made a special request on this ship.

 

Thanks all

 

Wow. A "small uprising" in Blu. It is so amazingly fabulous there with great staff I can't imaging that was even necessary or what that would even look like.

 

A smile, a conversation, a request with kindness has always worked for me.

 

J

[HazyDavy]

In Blu on the Reflection in February the "everyday" starters and desserts from the MDR were always available. The entrees were not. Other special requests were always granted with a day's notice. For example my son wanted steak and eggs for breakfast, it wasn't available the day he asked but they had it for him the next morning, and every morning thereafter. ;)

[uktog]

Everyday starters are always available in Blu. Also if you have dietary issues, make sure the Maitre D knows as each night you can discuss the next days choices and changes can be made.

We will not cruise now in the MDR as they are not as attentive or responsive in relation to food allergies, Blu on the other hand is excellent and they cannot do enough to help

Sounds like a very one off situation if an "uprising" was needed. That is not the Blu I know and love

[factotumdeb]

having traveled with elderly parents that have dietary restrictions, i have found the cruise line's website helpful for infomation on what is best to do if a person has dietary restrictions, in order for both the passengers and the cruise staff to be prepared to accomodate satisfactorily.

[Poconolady]

We have had shrimp cocktail every night in Blu. It is in the everyday side of the menu.

[skylight]

Wow. A "small uprising" in Blu. It is so amazingly fabulous there with great staff I can't imaging that was even necessary or what that would even look like.

 

A smile, a conversation, a request with kindness has always worked for me.

 

J

I agree no uprising needed always whatever we asked for if it was not on the menu appeared with a smile and was no trouble:)

[welshfamily]

Thanks for your replies.

Is there more than one menu in Blu? The only everyday menu we found was part of the Blu menu and was for entrees i.e. Newyork strip, Salmon, chicken. There were no starters or desserts. We were refused shimp cocktails and Cream Brûlée on the Eclipse. The cream brûlée was for me. We were told by the Asst. Maitre'd that cream Brûlée would have to be arranged specially for a night further on in the cruise. We felt we were making a special request and that it was a big deal. Having never ate in Blu before we were unsure of the protocol and didn't want to be awkward.

 

Is Blu a different experience depending on which ship you are on?

 

 

We did speak to the Maitre'd but he was not in the least interested. We went down in the afternoon of our first day to give the staff chance and we were polite. This has always worked for the MDR. We certainly were not shown menus for the next night or asked if there was anything they could do to help. We are quite reserved as a family and are not keen to make a fuss and we had filled in all the forms Celebrity sent us. To be fair the special dept at RCCI were very helpful but the information certainly had not reach Blu and yet everything we needed for the cabin was ready waiting for my son so that part of the information had arrived at the ship.

 

As I have already said after the 'uprising' the whole atmosphere changed and we saw others with Shimp Cocktails, fruit plates etc. We enjoyed the rest of the cruise in Blu enough to give it another go. Just want to avoid this happening again.

[City_Woman]

Thanks for your replies.

Is there more than one menu in Blu? The only everyday menu we found was part of the Blu menu and was for entrees i.e. Newyork strip, Salmon, chicken. There were no starters or desserts. We were refused shimp cocktails and Cream Brûlée on the Eclipse. The cream brûlée was for me. We were told by the Asst. Maitre'd that cream Brûlée would have to be arranged specially for a night further on in the cruise. We felt we were making a special request and that it was a big deal. Having never ate in Blu before we were unsure of the protocol and didn't want to be awkward.

 

Is Blu a different experience depending on which ship you are on?

 

 

We did speak to the Maitre'd but he was not in the least interested. We went down in the afternoon of our first day to give the staff chance and we were polite. This has always worked for the MDR. We certainly were not shown menus for the next night or asked if there was anything they could do to help. We are quite reserved as a family and are not keen to make a fuss and we had filled in all the forms Celebrity sent us. To be fair the special dept at RCCI were very helpful but the information certainly had not reach Blu and yet everything we needed for the cabin was ready waiting for my son so that part of the information had arrived at the ship.

 

As I have already said after the 'uprising' the whole atmosphere changed and we saw others with Shimp Cocktails, fruit plates etc. We enjoyed the rest of the cruise in Blu enough to give it another go. Just want to avoid this happening again.

 

I am not sure what specific food issues / tolerances you deal with, but it shouldn't change ship to ship.

 

I am lactose intolerant and I have sailed on Eclipse twice and both time eaten in Blu for breakfast and lunch. What I loved what I didn't have to order my food the night before. I ordered my food like I do at home in a restaurant - fresh to order. Used the regular Blu menu and juggled things around.

 

Filling in the forms ahead of time are not helpful IMHO. It was the conversations once I got on board.

 

J

[vermonter16]

Wow, I hope Blu is more accomodating on the Millennium. All I'm requesting is Creme Brulee each night and shrimp cocktail for a starter... DH has low sodium requirements and is very allergic to mushrooms so hoping we can work that out.

[Adammara]

We have dined in Eclipse Blu on several cruises, and I have always been able to get Creme Brulle, and I believe other 'off menu' items are avalable.

 

Perhaps the OP was unlucky with their Maitre'd, we have always found them to be great on Eclipse, but the one we encountered on Connie last autumn was most unhelpfull, and one of the reasons we are taking land based holidays this year, after cruising every year for the last 18 years.

 

Richard

[jackdiamond]

On one of our cruises, I mentioned that I loved Key Lime Pie; and, I received same the next night for desert, and the next three nights. As a matter of fact, after the first night they also brought ice cream with the pie.

[welshfamily]

Sorry, should have said my son can not absorb fat without enzymes and just needs to know if soups, sauces etc are made with cream, butter, milk or water. He then can take tablets accordingly. Eating shrimp cocktails minus the sauce or a fruit plate just makes things simpler. He tends to stick to plain, recognisable foods as this again makes life simpler but longs to try different foods were possible. Hence our willingness to book Blu with its 'lighter' menus.

The consequences of eating too much fat without the correct enzymes is dreadful stomach ache and all that comes with a bad tummy. Not ideal for a holiday.

Hopefully we will have better luck on the Reflection. Hopefully someone may post who has had these everyday menu items on this ship in Blu.

[MEcruzr]

Just curious... has X changed their policy of only 2 persons per AQ cabin? I thought you couldn't have children in those cabins.

[ghstudio]

While I can't speak to a specific cruise on a specific ship, almost all of the blu maitre d's are extremely accommodating on requests, be they personal preference or medical. However, there are a very few who are "less flexible" (being kind here). My suggestion is that if you have a problem that you can't work out, ask to meet with the hotel director since this really is a very real medical need.

[Gonzo70]

Just curious... has X changed their policy of only 2 persons per AQ cabin? I thought you couldn't have children in those cabins.

 

There is no age limit for Aqua class, just a limit of two people per/stateroom. A family of four with children can book two Aqua Class staterooms and all eat in Blu. Regardless the OP's "children" are in their 20's, so it is a mute point here.

[Gonzo70]

To be fair the special dept at RCCI were very helpful but the information certainly had not reach Blu and yet everything we needed for the cabin was ready waiting for my son so that part of the information had arrived at the ship.

 

 

FYI, RCI is a totally separate cruise line; it is owned by the same parent corporation as is Celebrity, but they would not have anything to do with handling special requests for Blu (or anything to do with a Celebrity cruise). Not sure if this contributed to your issue or not.

 

I have dined in Blu on two cruises (Millennium and Equinox) and personally found them extremely accommodating and far more capable of handling special requests than the main dining room. I imagine it was just a stroke of bad luck you had issues last cruise as poor service in Blu is rare. Speak with the Maitre'D when you first board and I am 95% confident something amicable will be worked out; Blu does require advance notice for special requests so do not wait until dinner time to make them. It might take a day for the special requests to be accommodated. In the off chance you do not receive satisfactory service from the Maitre'D request to meet with a senior officer such as the Hotel Director or Food & Beverage Manager.

[mellapl]

We were on the Eclipse last November and at at Blue 8 or 9 times. We felt they were very accomodating. My Wife and I both liked the smoked trout and even though it was not on the menu every night they made it for us every night, the funny part was that the size of the order just kept getting bigger every night. The waiter also would get French onion soup for me anytime I wanted and offered to get anything from the MDR.

[Aruba76]

We have been in Aqua Class on the Solstice and on the Millennium and ate in Blu almost every evening on each cruise. I had shrimp cocktail in Blu every night - some nights I had a double shrimp cocktail because our waiter realized how much I like them so he gave me bigger portions each time. I never requested it ahead of time.