Booking MDR if in Aquclass

[Mr&MrsBee]

If you are in Aquaclass can you select a late seating in MDR and same table for the entire cruise? Met people in Aqu that preferred the MDR

menu. Thank you for your help.

[cruisestitch]

You can't do this ahead of time, but once you are on board, see the Blu Maitre D and explain that you want a permanent seating in the MDR. The would then re-assign a portion of your gratuities to the MDR staff. The only glitch might come if late seating is sold out, which sometimes happens when there are many Europeans or South Americans on your cruise who prefer to eat late. In that case, it might take some juggling on the part of the Maitre D.

[cruise kitty]

There's really no point in booking AQ if you don't intend to eat in Blu... save the money, & spend it on specialty restaurants instead...

[bigbenboys]

There's really no point in booking AQ if you don't intend to eat in Blu... save the money, & spend it on specialty restaurants instead...

 

I've booked AQ cabin for less than a CC cabin. The breakfast in Blu is very nice. Dinner in Blu can be questionable. Booking AQ you should have the option of dining in Select Dining.

[WestLakeGirl]

Unless Select Is overbooked, more and mor common these days. Then you would be asked to go to one of the traditional, fixed dining times

Edited December 28, 2014 by WestLakeGirl

[Gig103]

If you are in Aquaclass can you select a late seating in MDR and same table for the entire cruise? Met people in Aqu that preferred the MDR

menu. Thank you for your help.

 

I agree with the folks you talked to. Blu was fine and a little fancier, and service was more attentive (being smaller on the Millennium), but the menu never excited me. But in the MDR on the Infinity I had a hard time deciding on entrees some nights!

 

There's really no point in booking AQ if you don't intend to eat in Blu... save the money, & spend it on specialty restaurants instead...

 

I agree here too.

[cynbar]

An AQ passenger can usually eat in the MDR by requesting it via the Blu maitre d', but there have been a couple of posts where this was problematic. The dining plan on Celebrity ships is capacity controlled, with a specific number of spaces in Blu, Select, as well as early and late Traditional. If one of those types is heavily booked, an AQ cruiser can't expect to be admitted. Sometimes passengers have been sent somewhere they didn't want, such as a table in late Traditional where everyone else already knew each other. If a lot of AQ passengers want to eat in the MDR, it may be hard to work them in. So can you do this ? Probably, although you may not be able to just turn up at Select. It also seems to be causing a lot of trouble for the staff to work this out if they have many requests. Just my opinion, but don't book AQ if you really don't want to have most of your dinners in Blu. Just curious, bigbenboys, why do you think you should automatically be admitted to Select?

Edited December 28, 2014 by cynbar

[jelayne]

I've booked AQ cabin for less than a CC cabin. The breakfast in Blu is very nice. Dinner in Blu can be questionable. Booking AQ you should have the option of dining in Select Dining.

 

Why should AQ have the option of Select?? If I were to book a CC for more than you paid for AQ I don't have the option of dining in Blu.

[WestLakeGirl]

An excellent question and one that has been asked before.

 

One surmise is that when AQ was invented it was envisioned as a step up from concierge class, with a higher price, more amenities, and greater access.

 

But with supply and demand, sometimes a concierge class cabin costs less than AQ on a handful of cruises

[dkjretired]

Why should AQ have the option of Select?? If I were to book a CC for more than you paid for AQ I don't have the option of dining in Blu.

 

Very simple, eating in Blu is not based on how much you pay, that is also why Blu and AQ cabins have preference in Blu over suites. It is a concept of healthy spa type living for the cruise and Blu is part of it.

[wally_bushy]

We had AQ cabin this year and used it mainly for breakfast. Dinners were average and so we arranged Select with 5 other people we were traveling with.

Like most things in life we asked politely and were accommodated. We did not demand and were grateful when it happened. It makes a difference

[bigbenboys]

An AQ passenger can usually eat in the MDR by requesting it via the Blu maitre d', but there have been a couple of posts where this was problematic. The dining plan on Celebrity ships is capacity controlled, with a specific number of spaces in Blu, Select, as well as early and late Traditional. If one of those types is heavily booked, an AQ cruiser can't expect to be admitted. Sometimes passengers have been sent somewhere they didn't want, such as a table in late Traditional where everyone else already knew each other. If a lot of AQ passengers want to eat in the MDR, it may be hard to work them in. So can you do this ? Probably, although you may not be able to just turn up at Select. It also seems to be causing a lot of trouble for the staff to work this out if they have many requests. Just my opinion, but don't book AQ if you really don't want to have most of your dinners in Blu. Just curious, bigbenboys, why do you think you should automatically be admitted to Select?

 

I dont know if I would use automatically let into Select Dining. They will try to do their best. The 4 of us have 17 nights in AquaClass. Only 2 nights the 4 of us have opted to dine in Select Dining. We were not turned away for a table of 4. Was it because of Aqua or that we are Elite Plus. I'm not sure. I just gave our cabin numbers and we were given a table. We did tell the maitre d' at Blu. That we were going down to Select Dining, after looking at the menu at Blu. The service in Blu is great, the food is questionable.

Edited December 29, 2014 by bigbenboys
spelling

[jelayne]

Very simple, eating in Blu is not based on how much you pay, that is also why Blu and AQ cabins have preference in Blu over suites. It is a concept of healthy spa type living for the cruise and Blu is part of it.

 

I get that. I was questioning why another poster felt that because they booked AQ they should be entitled to move to The MDR in Select.

[cruise kitty]

I've booked AQ cabin for less than a CC cabin. The breakfast in Blu is very nice. Dinner in Blu can be questionable. Booking AQ you should have the option of dining in Select Dining.

 

But according to the OP, they don't want to eat in Blu at all, seems that a regular verandah cabin would serve them well, unless they grabbed an AQ for less than a Verandah.

[Mr&MrsBee]

Thank you for the replies. Looks like we will stick to CC even though Aqua

has a lower price. The menu and food in the MDR on the Equinox 12/2014 was one of the best.

[cynbar]

Thank you for the replies. Looks like we will stick to CC even though Aqua

has a lower price. The menu and food in the MDR on the Equinox 12/2014 was one of the best.

 

I think this is a good plan, leave that AQ cabin for cruisers who want to dine in Blu. We have mixed feelings about Blu --- loved it on Eclipse, not so much last summer on Reflection in the Med. We are in a suite for our next cruise, may occasionally eat in Blu based on the night's menu, but we are not wild for it the way some are.

[ghstudio]

We have been in aqua on our last six or so cruises....so let me make a few points about Blu...

 

1) The biggest plus for Blu, IMHO, is that you can talk without having to yell, a much quieter dining room.

 

2) We occasionally are seduced by the descriptions of entrees on the MDR menu. With perhaps only one or two exceptions, the description on the menu seemed to have little relevance to what we were served. Sometimes I wonder if the menu writer ever talk to the chef.

 

3) You really should talk to the blu maitre d' if you want to eat in the MDR....and most of the time they will tell you to go to select...but not always. This effects how tips are allocated so it's important to the crew.

 

4) If you go to blu and there is a wait, some ships (eg infinity) will offer you 50% off at a specialty restaurant if you prefer to dine there instead that night (if there is room)....not a bad deal at all.

 

5) The food in Blu is more prepared to order...that means that it is served hot and generally is plated better. They also take more care not to serve a bad piece of meat (although it does happen). In the MDR, the waiter just grabs a pre-made plate...by the time it gets to you hot may become warm.

 

6) No, blu is not healthier food, although they tend to serve far fewer starches. Desserts in Blu are not better (or worse) than the MDR....both mis-able IMHO.

 

7) although stressed due to cuts, service in blu seems to be much better than in the MDR and waiters don't disappear for 10 minutes getting together food for other tables, etc.

 

Hope this helps.....

[phoenix_dream]

I have only sailed AQ twice, with one dining experience on M class outstanding; and one on S class nice but nothing to write home about. That was for dinners. For breakfast, eating in Blu is almost worth picking AQ in and of itself. A thousand light years better than the buffet, and at least twice as nice as dining in the MDR (due to better service, a more quiet atmosphere, more attention to quality of food). Personally I would absolutely pick AQ just for the breakfasts if the price was similar or lower than CC. Chances are very good you can get into MDR if desired, so I don't see the downside.

[jagoffee]

We have been in aqua on our last six or so cruises....so let me make a few points about Blu...

 

1) The biggest plus for Blu, IMHO, is that you can talk without having to yell, a much quieter dining room.

 

2) We occasionally are seduced by the descriptions of entrees on the MDR menu. With perhaps only one or two exceptions, the description on the menu seemed to have little relevance to what we were served. Sometimes I wonder if the menu writer ever talk to the chef.

 

3) You really should talk to the blu maitre d' if you want to eat in the MDR....and most of the time they will tell you to go to select...but not always. This effects how tips are allocated so it's important to the crew.

 

4) If you go to blu and there is a wait, some ships (eg infinity) will offer you 50% off at a specialty restaurant if you prefer to dine there instead that night (if there is room)....not a bad deal at all.

 

5) The food in Blu is more prepared to order...that means that it is served hot and generally is plated better. They also take more care not to serve a bad piece of meat (although it does happen). In the MDR, the waiter just grabs a pre-made plate...by the time it gets to you hot may become warm.

 

6) No, blu is not healthier food, although they tend to serve far fewer starches. Desserts in Blu are not better (or worse) than the MDR....both mis-able IMHO.

 

7) although stressed due to cuts, service in blu seems to be much better than in the MDR and waiters don't disappear for 10 minutes getting together food for other tables, etc.

 

Hope this helps.....

 

Very nice summary. I never really thought about number 2 (the descriptions) in those terms, but it is true from our experience.

 

We have AQ on our next cruise and have cruised in that category once previously. When we cruised in a SS2 we dined mostly in Blu after reviewing both the MDR mad Blu menus each night. We just like the overall experience of Blu better.

[CallyCruzer]

As we all know everyone likes something different - that is what makes the the world go around. The only reason I continue to cruise on Celebrity is for Aqua - and being able to dine in Blu. I cannot stand to eat in the MDR - so noisy and service is just not great. In Blu the waiters all know you by name, etc. We love the food and have never had a problem finding something we like. They go out of their way to make sure you have a good experience. The one time I just didn't care for the fish I ordered they were falling all over themselves trying to get me to let them bring me another meal. If Celebrity did away with Aqua/Blu then I would be likely to cruise other lines. The other big plus with Aqua is the Persian Gardens. We use that every day on our cruise.