Blu Restaurant vs MDR

[Doerthoch]

Hi,

Sailing on the Milli next month in Alaska, was upgraded to

Aqua Class.

Is Blu included or is it extra?

Also how does it compare with the main dining room?

Thanks

[Champagne Cruiser]

Blu is included. Our last 3 cruises were AQ and we love it. Free access to the Persian Garden, free bottles of water In your stateroom, upgraded showers and amenities, but the best is Blu. Not only are the meals outstanding, so is the service. The atmosphere is wonderful, no big trays hauling out your food. The servers are a notch above MDR, too. They also serve breakfast so you can avoid the rush and crowds of MDR or Oceanview. Also check out the spa cafe in the solarium for a light or healthy smoothie..

[Xfedcruiser]

You can search the boards to get much information and many opinions about blu. Here is one.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1987565&highlight=aqua

[bigbenboys]

As for Blu, we are not a fan. We are in AQ our next cruise to Alaska. AQ was cheaper than Concierge rooms we normally get. In Blu the tables near the window are to close together on Solstice Class ships. I'm not sure of Millie Class ships. Breakfast is very nice. Dinner is not that great. The Kobe beef meatloaf I did not like. They offer to much fowl (duck, pigeon, pheasant, quail). They didnt serve prime rib the 1st night or any night in Blu on our cruise. I'm sure we will be eating in Select Dining the 1st night next month. Oh the soups were bad. They bring you a bowl with small dropping in the bottom of the bowl. Then the pour the soup from a vase above the bowl. And they dont seem to have much taste. The service was very nice and dine when you want was great.

 

The rooms are fine. Shower very nice. The free water very nice. The tea in the room was really bad. The location on the ship of the AQ rooms will be nice for a Alaska cruise. There is a large overhang. The other side is if you like sun. Find another room.

 

In the end we are trying Blu again. I do hope the food is better this time. I will have a open mind. For I do wish to say Blu is great. I will say Celebrity is great. If we all like the same thing it would be a sad world. Richard

[fleckle]

Hi,

Sailing on the Milli next month in Alaska, was upgraded to

Aqua Class.

Is Blu included or is it extra?

Also how does it compare with the main dining room?

Blu is the assigned dining room for Aqua Class, but you can still eat in the main dining room instead if/when you prefer. Just let the maitre d' for Blu know if you want to eat dinner in the main dining room.

Blu is not open for lunch, just breakfast and dinner.

 

Most people who book Aqua Class do so because they prefer Blu to the main dining room.

 

Blu is located on the port side of deck 5 on your ship and main dining room select dining is right across on the starboard side of deck 5.

The dinner menus for both will be posted outside the dining rooms in the hallway, so it is only a few steps from one to the other to compare them each day to decide which you prefer.

 

If you want to dine with friends who are not eligible to eat in Blu, you would need to join them elsewhere because anyone who is not in either aqua class or a suite is not permitted to eat in Blu.

This has caused problems for some families traveling together in different category staterooms who were not aware of the policy in advance.

 

Edited April 14, 2014 by fleckle

[ghstudio]

If you read through this board, you'll find alot of different views on Blu. We are like many, once we tried blu, we started to only book aqua class. It wasn't the food and it wasn't the seating arrangement...it was the quiet atmosphere and being able to easily find a waiter if we needed something. The food is Okay....I'm not sure if it's better, healthier or more anything than the main dining room....other than the food comes hot which doesn't always happen in the MDR.

I have often said that if you are in aqua, it's like being on a smaller ship during dining....and that's nice.

 

There are some common negatives...the tables for 2 are mostly close together...about a foot apart. That makes privacy difficult, but it makes it quite easy to talk with different folks at meals if you like that (and most seem to). My main issue at this point is that the menu changes very little...and we cruise a fair amount so I think I've tried every dish I like on the menus...my wife and I joke about this being the pigeon menu, the meatloaf menu, and so on. We actually have a cruise booked in 2015 in Concierge Class, just as a break (and it was enticingly less expensive).

 

My guess is that you will really enjoy Blu...excellent breakfasts without having to fight for a table in the buffet, by the way...with fresh orange juice. Personalized service...they may well address you by name after the second night or so. The food is as good as the MDR if not better (subjective)....and don't forget the available every day items...the onion soup, escargot, and steak/chicken and I think fish. They will also tailor your main dish...hold the asparagus and could I have the green beans that go with this other dish....and so on.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[jackdiamond]

I totally agree with jhc and gh.

[dinosaurdem]

In the evening, we have generally eaten in the MDR or specialty restaurants about two thirds of the time. We have found the food and service in the MDR and Blu to be comparable, with a little more variety in the MDR. The noise level in both is dependent on the proximity of drunks and the socially competitive. Breakfast is a treat in Blu because of the absence of drunks and crowds and the presence of a variety of fruits, nuts, grains, and yogurts.

[catugirl]

We were in Aqua Class on Silhouette last year, and we loved Blu. The food, service and atmosphere were wonderful. It's quieter and not as chaotic as MDR. Blu is very elegant. Sure, the tables for two are close, but we met some really nice people that way. And BTW, we ate in MDR once and the tables for two were even closer! I've never seen tables that close.

[Northern Aurora]

Just a quick comment -- we much prefer Blu over the MDR. And while bigbenboys report no prime rib our experience has been different as we have had prime rib served in Blu on the first night of the sailing. Just like the MDR Blu has an "always available" menu of items available each night on the left side of their evening menu. In Blu the "always available" nightly menu which includes a steak.

[Officer Dibble]

We were in AQ class on the Equinox last month and really enjoyed Blu. Never had any problems being seated, no matter what time we turned up. The food was generally excellent, the service was exemplary and the staff were great. We thought the ambience was considerably better than the MDR: not as noisy or busy. As others have said, a big plus was being able to eat breakfast in Blu and so avoid the crush in the Oceanview Cafe.

 

OD

[UniPac]

We had the prime rib three weeks ago on the Eclipse in Blu!

 

Some ppl say they better save the money for Blu, others love it.

 

We love it and if you were upgraded it sounds like it is a free upgrade - so if you don't like Blu you can still go to the MDR.

 

To me a free upgrade to Aqua Class sounds very nice!

[Cruise a holic]

As for Blu, we are not a fan. We are in AQ our next cruise to Alaska. AQ was cheaper than Concierge rooms we normally get. In Blu the tables near the window are to close together on Solstice Class ships. I'm not sure of Millie Class ships. Breakfast is very nice. Dinner is not that great. The Kobe beef meatloaf I did not like. They offer to much fowl (duck, pigeon, pheasant, quail). They didnt serve prime rib the 1st night or any night in Blu on our cruise. I'm sure we will be eating in Select Dining the 1st night next month. Oh the soups were bad. They bring you a bowl with small dropping in the bottom of the bowl. Then the pour the soup from a vase above the bowl. And they dont seem to have much taste. The service was very nice and dine when you want was great.

 

The rooms are fine. Shower very nice. The free water very nice. The tea in the room was really bad. The location on the ship of the AQ rooms will be nice for a Alaska cruise. There is a large overhang. The other side is if you like sun. Find another room.

 

In the end we are trying Blu again. I do hope the food is better this time. I will have a open mind. For I do wish to say Blu is great. I will say Celebrity is great. If we all like the same thing it would be a sad world. Richard

 

i agree with you.

[PNW Traveler]

I'll add two additional reasons we enjoy Blu over the main dining room.

1. Blu is "healthier" fare - reduction sauces rather than sauces and gravies prepared with cream and butter, more emphasis on vegetables and fruits, good fish and poultry choices, muesli prepared tableside at breakfast, always light and healthy dessert selections.

2. Because Blu staterooms are not "family" staterooms and do not accommodate three and four persons, it is usually an adults only and quieter dining experience. We prefer this to the MDR.

 

Yes, we found the tables to be close together, but have also dined in similarly configured restaurants in large cities throughout the U.S. and Europe. Some Blu diners enjoy conversation and others prefer not. This has not been an issue for us.

[UniPac]

I'll add two additional reasons we enjoy Blu over the main dining room.

1. Blu is "healthier" fare - reduction sauces rather than sauces and gravies prepared with cream and butter, more emphasis on vegetables and fruits, good fish and poultry choices, muesli prepared tableside at breakfast, always light and healthy dessert selections.

2. Because Blu staterooms are not "family" staterooms and do not accommodate three and four persons, it is usually an adults only and quieter dining experience. We prefer this to the MDR.

 

Yes, we found the tables to be close together, but have also dined in similarly configured restaurants in large cities throughout the U.S. and Europe. Some Blu diners enjoy conversation and others prefer not. This has not been an issue for us.

 

+1 for both reasons!

[Mermen]

Hi,

Sailing on the Milli next month in Alaska, was upgraded to

Aqua Class.

Is Blu included or is it extra?

Also how does it compare with the main dining room?

Thanks

 

I have not read all posts replying to your questions, but no doubt you know now that it is covered.

 

We love Blu -and prefer it to the MDR. Love the service, lighter portions, (more reductions than fatty sauces) and the ambiance. Aqua Class is really the only category we stay in now on the S-Class or M-Class ships. Can't say enough positive things about it!

[Skip111]

We just got of 28 days on the infinity in blu after the first few days we went to select dining. The food in both is basically the same except served on different nights. You might as well eat by yourself no room for interaction with others. If that is what you like than blu is for you but we cruise to enjoy ourselves and interact with others and make new friends !

 

 

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[ghstudio]

We just got of 28 days on the infinity in blu after the first few days we went to select dining. The food in both is basically the same except served on different nights. You might as well eat by yourself no room for interaction with others. If that is what you like than blu is for you but we cruise to enjoy ourselves and interact with others and make new friends !

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

huh? We have been on the infinity in blu twice in the past 6 months and we have easily met folks standing outside waiting for a table (in fact a couple of times we joined them for dinner) and with a 2 top, it was easy to strike up a conversation with the folks next to us...if they wanted to talk.

 

So I'm very surprised that you found it difficult to meet and talk with folks in Blu...for both breakfast and dinner.

Edited April 15, 2014 by ghstudio

[Gig103]

Blu is not only included, it is your assigned dining room. It is anytime dining, even if you select 'traditional' on your booking. I prefer the dinner menu options in the main dining room, but that's of course subjective. Breakfast in Blu was great.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Gig103

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

huh? We have been on the infinity in blu twice in the past 6 months and we have easily met folks standing outside waiting for a table (in fact a couple of times we joined them for dinner) and with a 2 top, it was easy to strike up a conversation with the folks next to us...if they wanted to talk.

 

So I'm very surprised that you found it difficult to meet and talk with folks in Blu...for both breakfast and dinner.

 

I'm surprised as well. I met more interesting people in Blu than I've ever met anywhere else on the ship. It's like a small ship within a ship.

 

The menu does get old after a while, but the personalized service and the quiet atmosphere makes it worth it to me.

[Mermen]

We just got of 28 days on the infinity in blu after the first few days we went to select dining. The food in both is basically the same except served on different nights. You might as well eat by yourself no room for interaction with others. If that is what you like than blu is for you but we cruise to enjoy ourselves and interact with others and make new friends !

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

The menu is absolutely not "basically the same except served on different nights". The menus are vastly different. There may be one or two items (chicken or steak) which one can order in either restaurant on any night, but the food is not basically the same. :rolleyes: How could you state this when you admit you only ate in Blu for a "few days"? As far as "no room for interaction with others", we always eat at a table for 2 and have always engaged in conversation with those around us.

 

On our B2B cruise (15 night / 11 night) of course there were a couple of meals which were repeated...but who does not have a weekly rotation in their home for supper, repeating a dish maybe twice in 3-weeks? :)

Edited April 16, 2014 by Mermen