Aqua Class and Main Dining Room

[Aus ATC]

Hi,

 

We are planning our first Celebrity cruise (May 2016) and would like to book Aqua Class. We are travelling with friends who will be in a Oceanview cabin. We would like to eat with them many, if not most nights, but would also like to use the Blu restaurant a few times as well (the default for Aqua).

 

I have been researching this and the responses seem mixed (as well as a little dated in some cases).

 

Does anyone have any recent experience of doing this? Would we have more luck if our friends chose Select instead of Traditional dining (as their seating allocations will be more flexible)?

 

Thanks

Aus ATC

[bamtlc]

We booked Aqua. I told her I was worried we wouldn't like blu(not adventurous eaters). She booked us MDR but said we couldn't switch back and forth. This is my 1st celebrity cruise so figured we should experienced MDR but would of liked to try blu also.

 

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[wallie5446]

Welcome to Celebrity!

 

Okie dokie, your friends will not get to join you in Blu. It is a small dinning room based on the number of Aqua berths, and thoses in a suite have a fee on a space available basis. The main reason to book Aqua is for Blu, as there is nothing different about a balcony cabin, all 194 s/f.

 

The staff in Blu can arrange for you to go to the MDR. Your friends do need to book Select so everyone can dine together when you decide to go. Traditional, they would most likely have a full table and no open chairs for you to join them.

[dkjretired]

Hi,

 

We are planning our first Celebrity cruise (May 2016) and would like to book Aqua Class. We are travelling with friends who will be in a Oceanview cabin. We would like to eat with them many, if not most nights, but would also like to use the Blu restaurant a few times as well (the default for Aqua).

 

I have been researching this and the responses seem mixed (as well as a little dated in some cases).

 

Does anyone have any recent experience of doing this? Would we have more luck if our friends chose Select instead of Traditional dining (as their seating allocations will be more flexible)?

 

Thanks

Aus ATC

 

You will have a much better chance of eating with them if they are in Select Dining. If they are traditional, you would have to hope that someone at their table did not show before you could eat with them. Since you are in AQ, your assigned Dining Room is Blu, you will not have a seat assigned to you in the MDR. Each ship has their own policies for Blu passengers eating in the MDR but generally if you see the Blu maitre'd it can be done.

 

Your friends will not be able to eat with you in Blu for either Dinner or Breakfast and Celebrity is very strict about this.

Edited February 22, 2015 by dkjretired

[dkjretired]

We booked Aqua. I told her I was worried we wouldn't like blu(not adventurous eaters). She booked us MDR but said we couldn't switch back and forth. This is my 1st celebrity cruise so figured we should experienced MDR but would of liked to try blu also.

 

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I hate to tell you this but if you are in AQ, you are assigned to Blu and you can't make arrangments to eat in the MDR until you are on board. Whoever told you that you were assigned to MDR gave you the wrong info. I don't understand the comments about the type of food in Blu, I'm a meat and potatoes person and love Blu.

Edited February 22, 2015 by dkjretired

[cle-guy]

I hate to tell you this but if you are in AQ, you are assigned to Blu and you can't make arrangments to eat in the MDR until you are on board. Whoever told you that you were assigned to MDR gave you the wrong info.

 

I wonder if they made this inference based on their booking details on line.

 

Don't all BLU passengers get "assigned" an early dining time so far as it looks in the website dining arrangements section?

 

This is of course not reality, as you go to BLU when you wish, but it seems to be a limitation (requirement?) of the X booking process to pick a dining time, even when it isn't going to happen.

 

Seem they need to add a new booking time called "BLU - Open Seating" and soon a new one "Suite Dining - Open Seating"

[dkjretired]

I wonder if they made this inference based on their booking details on line.

 

Don't all BLU passengers get "assigned" an early dining time so far as it looks in the website dining arrangements section?

 

This is of course not reality, as you go to BLU when you wish, but it seems to be a limitation (requirement?) of the X booking process to pick a dining time, even when it isn't going to happen.

 

Seem they need to add a new booking time called "BLU - Open Seating" and soon a new one "Suite Dining - Open Seating"

 

Yes, that has been the most common problem with people booking AQ, the limitations of the computer system. As you know Blu is anytime dining but yet they assign you a time, not what most people want. This is why people book Select dining on the computer which only causes you to pre pay your tips. Its sort of like choosing what you don't want. There must have been a couple hundred threads started just on this question alone.

 

As far as the poster I referred to you could be absolutely right, I was only going by the fact that they said they spoke to "her", don't know if "her" is a TA or someone at Celebrity.

 

Note: Adding to the confusion was that up until about 2 years ago Celebrity's written policy if you were in AQ and signed up for Select was to assign you to Select dining in the MDR. Most TAs and even Celebrity personnel did not know this. Loads of threads on that one also. That's why I say you seemed to sign up for what you want (Select) but had to pick traditional which you did not want. Fortunately that part of their policy has changed but not everyone knows it.

[CathyCruises]

We booked Aqua. I told her I was worried we wouldn't like blu(not adventurous eaters). She booked us MDR but said we couldn't switch back and forth. This is my 1st celebrity cruise so figured we should experienced MDR but would of liked to try blu also.

 

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Her? Your wife? Travel agent? I think you should start with Blu, and then if you don't care for it, make arrangements with the maitre d' to try the MDR, and see which suits you best. It's not just one or the other in your case.

[true45]

I wonder if they made this inference based on their booking details on line.

 

 

 

Don't all BLU passengers get "assigned" an early dining time so far as it looks in the website dining arrangements section?

 

 

 

This is of course not reality, as you go to BLU when you wish, but it seems to be a limitation (requirement?) of the X booking process to pick a dining time, even when it isn't going to happen.

 

 

 

Seem they need to add a new booking time called "BLU - Open Seating" and soon a new one "Suite Dining - Open Seating"

 

 

Cle-guy

Aqua class get a letter in cabins regarding 1st night dining in Blu with suggested time but it is optional. It is OPEN SEATING every night including the 1st night

 

Regarding the website

Disregard whatever is there is what I was told pre boarding -- I was told it is a glitch in the website and that Blu is assigned dining for Aqua and it is always open seating

 

And all that was true in our Jan 2015 sailing

But turns out we didn't enjoy the menu

[bamtlc]

I'm sorry. She was my TA. I really don't know.

 

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[ptrpanpens]

Was underwhelmed with Blu on my last cruise on Constellation to the Holy Land. A whole group of us in aqua cabins chose to eat in the MDR select dining and had absolutely no trouble getting a table. Perhaps my expectations were too high for Blu but I found the food really not any better than the MDR and the selection was less.

 

I would try Blu again if the price was right just because this cruise may have been an anomaly. Most people love Blu but there were many on our cruise who could take or leave it. In fairness, the food overall on Connie on this particular cruise was mediocre, so I ended up losing 7 pounds. Always a silver lining.:D

 

BTW, In my opinion, the food in Blu is not lighter fare, but has different offerings, special sauces, etc. so I guess you could call it more gourmet. But each to his own...if you want to watch what you eat, the aqua spa cafe is much better.

[Hapytocruise]

Your TA does not have a clue as to what she is telling you. You will be assigned to Blu as your dining room but I have heard many times persons in Aqua have had success getting a seat in the MDR after speaking with the Blu Matr'd . Your friends should definitely choose "select" dining and then you should not have a problem dining with them on occasion. If they are at a traditional table it would be much more complicated.

[Aus ATC]

Thanks all for the information. Seems that provided our friends have booked the Select dining option, we "should" be OK to eat in the MDR.

 

(I also sent a Facebook message to Celebrity Cruises, but so far nothing back - I'll post here if I hear anything)

[bamtlc]

Ok. One more question. I booked AQ room. When I pull up my reservation , under dining it says dining select. Is that Blu?

 

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[OUTOFNY]

I booked a AQ cabin one cruise. The rest my group regular type of cabins. The TA let celebrity know we would be dining with the rest of our group, late seating. The computer up till embarking time time showed us as in blu. One quick mention to the maitre-d and our group was together.

[wallie5446]

Ok. One more question. I booked AQ room. When I pull up my reservation , under dining it says dining select. Is that Blu?

 

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Yup! Just another 'OPPS' in the system that mke us scratch our heads in wonder.:D

[ozark74]

Ok. One more question. I booked AQ room. When I pull up my reservation , under dining it says dining select. Is that Blu?

 

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It always shows that. As long as you booked Aqua you are fine. Just another quirk in the system. When you get on the ship you may get a card saying show up at Blu at a certain time for the first night only. We get them every time but you can show up when you want to. They are trying to spread everyone out during the evening.

Edited February 24, 2015 by ozark74

[bamtlc]

Thank you all.

 

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[bvocruise]

It always shows that. As long as you booked Aqua you are fine. Just another quirk in the system. When you get on the ship you may get a card saying show up at Blu at a certain time for the first night only. We get them every time but you can show up when you want to. They are trying to spread everyone out during the evening.

 

Why does Blue need to spread people out the first night? Does it matter when people show up? Wouldn't the MDR have the same issue with select dining? Or does the MDR ask their select dining people to come at a certain time the first night also?

Edited February 24, 2015 by bvocruise

[wallie5446]

Why does Blue need to spread people out the first night? Does it matter when people show up? Wouldn't the MDR have the same issue with select dining? Or does the MDR ask their select dining people to come at a certain time the first night also?

 

Blu is a small dinning room and they need to turn the tables 2 1/2 times to cover the number of pax in the Aqua cabins.

 

The same is true of select, which is why people are being wait listed and sent to traditional. Only so many tables, and the dinner service has to have us spred out over the 3 hour service window.

[dkjretired]

Why does Blue need to spread people out the first night? Does it matter when people show up? Wouldn't the MDR have the same issue with select dining? Or does the MDR ask their select dining people to come at a certain time the first night also?

 

Its just a request, you can show up at any time.

[phoenix_dream]

Just one caveat here. On rare occasions, the ship is so full that it may be difficult getting put into Select dining. So I would not say it is 100% true that you can always go from Blu to Select. I wonder if this will become even more of an issue once the suite restaurant opens as there will be even less MDR/Select space available. Most certain it will not be a problem, but I don't think it is 100% true.

[bvocruise]

Just one caveat here. On rare occasions, the ship is so full that it may be difficult getting put into Select dining. So I would not say it is 100% true that you can always go from Blu to Select. I wonder if this will become even more of an issue once the suite restaurant opens as there will be even less MDR/Select space available. Most certain it will not be a problem, but I don't think it is 100% true.

 

Kind of off topic but I hope the new suite dining room frees up space in Blu on the Reflection. We have not sailed on the ship yet but have read about Blu being very crowded on the reflection. I've looked at the the deck plans from the S Class ships and reflection has a lot more aqua class and suites and the space for Blu does not seem much larger. Hopefully the suite people will really like their restaurant and Blu will not be a zoo when we sail in May. I'm holding my breath though because those in suites can still dine in Blu as they wish.

Edited February 24, 2015 by bvocruise

[tbmrt]

Your TA does not have a clue as to what she is telling you. You will be assigned to Blu as your dining room but I have heard many times persons in Aqua have had success getting a seat in the MDR after speaking with the Blu Matr'd . Your friends should definitely choose "select" dining and then you should not have a problem dining with them on occasion. If they are at a traditional table it would be much more complicated.

 

On Equinox last December our friends in Aqua Class just walked down to the MDR entrance and were able to join 2 or 4 of us on various nights with no problem/no getting permission from Maitre D's. (We had select dining)

[Aus ATC]

We have ended up booking Concierge Class - just to take away any risk. Not sure it was the best idea, but there you go (only $5.00 pppd difference between AQ2 and CC2)

 

Now just to link our bookings so we sit together!!