Blu Review - Reflection 1/18/14

[Alsmez]

We had really good breakfasts in Blu, and great service, but we weren't on the reflection, for which I understand Blu is more crowded.

 

Yes, I've heard many reports about Blu being much more crowded on Reflection than on other ships. We didn't have a problem at dinner, but we do tend to eat late, which may have helped. Breakfast was definitely hectic - I'd be curious to see how it is on other ships. However, the food was just inexcusable. A different chef/kitchen team may have produced an entirely different result, though, so who knows? I was just very surprised that powdered eggs and pre-made pancakes would even have a place in a restaurant that claims to use the best ingredients and cook to order.

[jackdiamond]

As I earlier indicated, my poached eggs etc., was outstanding. Of course, I had them bring that special salsa; and, I also had fresh orange juice, skim milk, decaf coffee and some very nice rolls. Other times, I would enjoy the pancakes with all of the trimmings; and, it was always very good. We have enjoyed three ten night cruises in AQ; and our experiences vis-a-vis breakfast are far different from your reports. I should mention that we are not very picky; and, we are not loquacious in asserting excoriations.

All of our experiences were on the Equinox; and, one even at Christmas time when the ship was fully booked. As a matter of fact, Santa appeared with gifts for all of the little ones. That really impressed me, since he had gifts for all the little folks with their names on the packages. Obviously, we were impressed with the quality of the food and service in Blu on a ship which was fully booked.

[carolslc]

I thoroughly enjoyed your review! It brought back pleasant memories of Blu dinners last week on the Summit. Especially the chocolate lava cake - I could have eaten 5 of them. :-)

 

I'm happy to say that service for breakfast in Blu on the Summit was wonderful. However, I agree with your assessment of the pancakes. I love pancakes and don't remember ever in my life meeting a pancake I didn't like, but I tried both the pecan and the blueberry pancakes in Blu and couldn't eat them - something about the texture was just awful. Now I realize that it probably was because they are pre-made and microwaved! I just had them bring me waffles instead and I thought those were much better. I tried an omelette and didn't care for that either. I did like the regular croissants on the ship which I could get in Blu or the buffet. Our fruit plate was filled with unripe melon, so I thought to ask for berries the next day and they were fantastic. Unfortunately, they ran out of them before the end of the cruise. So, in agreement with another poster - get them early!

 

 

 

Thanks again for your review!

[Oville]

We just returned from a wonderful 7-night cruise on Reflection in Aqua Class, so I thought I'd take a moment to share the Blu menus with you (attached here as a PDF, in the order we ate them),

 

 

Thank you for your review of the Blu Restaurant on the Reflection. Unfortunately, I cannot see your PDF attachment. We will be sailing on the Reflection in March and would very much like to see what nights make sense to us to eat in Specialty restaurants. Would you kindly post your PDF file again.

 

Thanks

[Laurab23]

If you eat in Blu can you ask for items from the MDR?Like the escargot and french onion soup?What about main courses from the MDR?Not sure if my DH will like all the stuff in Blu,he is more a meat and potatoes man.I am the one who likes to try different things and the peace and quiet that is sounds like Blu is.

 

Laura

[vermonter16]

I really enjoyed reading your review - especially since I'm also good and hungry :). DH and I ate in Blu last year (Aqua Class) and we wanted to give it another shot this year on our upcoming cruise (again Aqua Class).

 

I really could relate to the pancakes with Vermont Maple Syrup. I am from Vermont. Our neighbor taps trees and boils his own syrup. McDonalds is required to offer Vermont Maple Syrup instead of the Hotcake Syrup you get in other states.

 

Before I ordered the pancakes I asked the server if it was really Vermont Syrup....he leaned over and said quietly that it wasn't. I said, ok, thanks - I won't be eating those then.

 

Good on you for recognizing the difference. I am certainly a syrup snob....but I can't help it...it's like a religion from where I'm from.

 

Look forward to reading your other reviews. Very nice.

[Alsmez]

If you eat in Blu can you ask for items from the MDR?Like the escargot and french onion soup?What about main courses from the MDR?Not sure if my DH will like all the stuff in Blu,he is more a meat and potatoes man.I am the one who likes to try different things and the peace and quiet that is sounds like Blu is.

 

Laura

 

Yes, we asked on the first night if it was possible to get the escargot and onion soup from the MDR and our server said it would be no problem. We didn't order any MDR items until the last night, but it was still no problem then. As for the meat and potatoes thing, I noticed a couple of times that our neighbors had an added side of mashed potatoes with their meals - I would just ask. The Blu staff seems very receptive to special requests. We also frequently ordered two mains, which means you get a lot of protein (we eat low carb 95% of the time, so this suited us well), and they are happy to do sauce on the side if he's worried about not liking the sauces.

[Alsmez]

Here is the pdf of the menu - sorry for the delay! I'll start a new thread and post it there as well, to make it easier to find in a search.

Blu Menu 1-18-14.pdf

[Alsmez]

 

Before I ordered the pancakes I asked the server if it was really Vermont Syrup....he leaned over and said quietly that it wasn't. I said, ok, thanks - I won't be eating those then.

 

Good on you for recognizing the difference. I am certainly a syrup snob....but I can't help it...it's like a religion from where I'm from.

 

 

Good on you for asking! I should have, but I figured if they were going to go to the trouble of advertising VERMONT maple syrup on the menu, then that's what they'd be serving. My good friend from Vermont had a FIT when I told her about this!

[clo6216]

Thank you for sharing the menus at Blu. Are these posted outside of the restaurant each day as they are for the MDR? Curious because we're doing Aqua Class on a 4-day cruise soon, and I wonder if the Blu menus will be the first four (consecutive) days of the 7-day menu.

[Alsmez]

Thank you for sharing the menus at Blu. Are these posted outside of the restaurant each day as they are for the MDR? Curious because we're doing Aqua Class on a 4-day cruise soon, and I wonder if the Blu menus will be the first four (consecutive) days of the 7-day menu.

 

They do post them outside. Not sure if they'll do the first four menus or something else - I would assume you'll get lobster on your formal night, though, so at least that one would be out of order.

[Oville]

They do post them outside. Not sure if they'll do the first four menus or something else - I would assume you'll get lobster on your formal night, though, so at least that one would be out of order.

 

On the 5 day Connie there was no lobster, rather the Day 2 formal menu.

 

Thanks for posting the menus.

[Oville]

Thank you for sharing the menus at Blu. Are these posted outside of the restaurant each day as they are for the MDR? Curious because we're doing Aqua Class on a 4-day cruise soon, and I wonder if the Blu menus will be the first four (consecutive) days of the 7-day menu.

 

On the 5 day Connie, the menus were Days 1-4 and 7 in the PDF file above.

[Alsmez]

On the 5 day Connie there was no lobster, rather the Day 2 formal menu.

 

Thanks for posting the menus.

 

Interesting - I thought lobster night happened on even shorter cruises, but apparently not. Thanks for clarifying!

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review.

[dmk]

A wonderful detailed to review!

 

It is too bad that you didn't give the MDR a chance. We were on the Reflection in December and found the MDR to have superior food to Blu. This came as a complete surprise to us. However, on other cruises we have found the MDR lacking, but not on this cruise. We opted with other Aqua guests to eat in the MDR instead of Blu.

[Alsmez]

A wonderful detailed to review!

 

It is too bad that you didn't give the MDR a chance. We were on the Reflection in December and found the MDR to have superior food to Blu. This came as a complete surprise to us. However, on other cruises we have found the MDR lacking, but not on this cruise. We opted with other Aqua guests to eat in the MDR instead of Blu.

 

We actually wanted to try the MDR, if for no other reason than for comparison purposes to our last cruise. Unfortunately, we just didn't find the time. We're considering a dining package instead of AQ for our next cruise, though, so we would definitely end up doing a few nights in the MDR. I'll be interested to see how things are when we get around to it!

[Orator]

I was on the same cruise and also in Blu. I appreciate the time and effort the OP gave in writing her extensive reviews. I'm not a foodie and selected different items so I can't comment on the detailed observations of the food. However, several posters criticized one server by name and I feel that I must respond to that. First, this is a public board and I for one would not post a negative comment about any employee. I know that the waiter is registered on Cruise Critic and reads and posts on the board. Second, you should not criticize when you don't know the entire story. There may be events happening outside your view that can influence service. Without giving details I simply want to say that there were. Third, Blu was packed for breakfast during concentrated times during that cruise. People slept late on sea days and came late to Blu. If you were there prior to 8:00am the place was virtually empty and survive was fast and food was better. On port days there was an early rush. There were also a dry high number of people in Suites who had breakfast in Blu. Blu is different on Reflection due to the large number of passengers dining there. The waiter critiqued by some is one of the highest rated servers in the entire fleet. He makes people truly feel like they are family.

[patty1955]

To all those that complain about the negative comments, keep in mind, this is clearly the OPs opinion and therefore can't be "wrong". To me this appears to be a well-balanced review, the OP has included both the good and the bad.

We love celebrity but have never been on a cruise that had perfect food. Any question I had about the OPs taste in food was answered with the comment about the gummy risotto.

[4cats4me]

I enjoyed the OP's review, but thought at times that some of the critiquing was a bit strong. However, I came to realize that the OP is a foodie and a gourmet; therefore, she would be looking for different things than somebody like me, who is not a gourmet . I am not a foodie, but I felt that all meals in Blu aboard the Equinox were really good, as did the other 3 members of our party. It just goes to show that food tastes are extremely subjective, but I really do appreciate all her detail!

 

It just sounds like the crowd is too large in Blu aboard the Reflection, because we never ever had a lengthy delay of any kind aboard Equinox, not for coffees, cocktails, wine, anything

Edited February 1, 2014 by 4cats4me

[Alsmez]

I was on the same cruise and also in Blu. I appreciate the time and effort the OP gave in writing her extensive reviews. I'm not a foodie and selected different items so I can't comment on the detailed observations of the food. However, several posters criticized one server by name and I feel that I must respond to that. First, this is a public board and I for one would not post a negative comment about any employee. I know that the waiter is registered on Cruise Critic and reads and posts on the board. Second, you should not criticize when you don't know the entire story. There may be events happening outside your view that can influence service. Without giving details I simply want to say that there were. Third, Blu was packed for breakfast during concentrated times during that cruise. People slept late on sea days and came late to Blu. If you were there prior to 8:00am the place was virtually empty and survive was fast and food was better. On port days there was an early rush. There were also a dry high number of people in Suites who had breakfast in Blu. Blu is different on Reflection due to the large number of passengers dining there. The waiter critiqued by some is one of the highest rated servers in the entire fleet. He makes people truly feel like they are family.

 

I'm sorry to hear about whatever mitigating circumstances were affecting the waiter's performance, but I can only comment on the service we received and the impression it left behind on that one day. I work in an industry where I am CONSTANTLY being observed and criticized, publicly, and I have learned to take the good with the bad and use any criticism that seems well-informed and constructive to improve my performance the next time around.

 

As for the crowds in Blu, this is clearly something Celebrity needs to address (at least on Reflection, if not fleet-wide). I wouldn't have minded the wait or even the slow service if the food had been good, but it simply wasn't - and not because the kitchen was slammed, either. The food was bad because Celebrity has made the executive decision to cut corners in Blu, and IMO that is completely unacceptable in a "special" restaurant for which passengers pay a substantially higher fare. If they are going to market breakfast in Blu as an upgrade to the MDR or buffet, they need to put their money where their mouth is and cook fresh, REAL food, to order. The fact that they do such a good job with dinner makes breakfast that much more of a disgrace.

[Chitown12562]

Thanks for posting the review and the menu. Not sure how tahini could make hummus bitter. It's basically sesame seed paste and tastes like very weak peanut butter for those who've never tried it. Barely any taste at all really.

 

Thanks for posting the menus also.

[Alsmez]

Thanks for posting the review and the menu. Not sure how tahini could make hummus bitter. It's basically sesame seed paste and tastes like very weak peanut butter for those who've never tried it. Barely any taste at all really.

 

Thanks for posting the menus also.

 

Actually, tahini has a very distinctive flavor and can be quite bitter, especially if it hasn't been stored properly. I like tahini and the flavor it lends to hummus, but there was too much of it in the hummus we received in Blu, resulting in an off flavor and a somewhat pasty, greasy texture.

[galavant3]

I enjoyed the OP's review, but thought at times that some of the critiquing was a bit strong. However, I came to realize that the OP is a foodie and a gourmet; therefore, she would be looking for different things than somebody like me, who is not a gourmet . I am not a foodie, but I felt that all meals in Blu aboard the Equinox were really good, as did the other 3 members of our party. It just goes to show that food tastes are extremely subjective, but I really do appreciate all her detail!

 

It just sounds like the crowd is too large in Blu aboard the Reflection, because we never ever had a lengthy delay of any kind aboard Equinox, not for coffees, cocktails, wine, anything

 

I love reading food reviews, both positive and negative so I thoroughly enjoyed the review and the level of detail. And I very much appreciate the time that it took!

 

I consider myself to be a foodie and an avid cook (certainly not a gourmet chef). We very much enjoyed all aspects of Blu; food and service.

 

What one person might have perceived as slow service, we would probably view as a positive - the ability to linger at breakfast seated by an ocean view window.

 

We met several of our fellow Aqua Class diners and ended up joining them for a few dinners. That certainly added to our enjoyment. I've posted this before but I judge a meal on service (one third), food (one third) and company (one third). Even if the food fell a bit short, the service and company would more than make up for it.

 

We were fortunate. We did not have a bad (or even mediocre) meal or service that fell short of excellent. However, I know that others will have very different experiences.

 

When expectations are not met, it can be very disappointing. In our case, our expectations were exceeded.

[KirkNC]

This is undoubtedly the best food review I've ever read on Cruise Critic. Thank you so much!

 

I have to agree, outstanding details!