Aqua Class/Blu - A different perspective

[Trep586]

I guess we'll file this under "dissenting opinion" regarding Aqua Class as most seem to love it. We are NOT at all bashing Celebrity, the Eclipse or our cruise. It was, as always, LOVELY and we "almost" booked another cruise onboard. This is just perhaps a different take for others like us who may not be impressed with AQ/Blu...

 

First a little background. We are a couple of mid-40's DINK's who got the cruising bug just 4 years ago on a 5 night aboard the Millenium. Since then we have sailed Celebrity 6 more times on both Millenium and Solstice class vessels and have always been super happy with the food, service and overall experience and I feel we are speaking with at least some experience. A little more background...I tend to be, shall we say, "conservative" with our vacation spend while the DW tends to be "liberal". Or as the DW would say, I am "CHEAP" and she "maximizes her vacation experience"!

 

We just got off of the 12/18 Eclipse 9 night sailing. My DW had received a "credit voucher" for signing up for a Celebrity Credit card. This turned out be not such a great deal. In order to use the "credit", you had to book a Concierge class room or higher. We had booked Concierge in the past and were not impressed with the amenities vs the upcharge but the DW wanted to use the "credit" and booked us. So a few months ago, while dreaming of the cruise, I logged into the Celebrity website to take a gander at our booking and my eyes bugged out of my head! I quickly looked at the then current rates and realized that, even with our "discount" we were paying more than we would have for Aqua Class! I immediately did some digging here on this VERY useful forum and found that some folks had reported success with calling the Captain's Club and requesting an upgrade. I did just that and was pleasantly suprised (read: SHOCKED - I never get anything) at how with very little prodding, I was able to upgrade us to an Aqua Class Guarantee! (Frankly, I think the dude at the Captain's Club might have thought we had gotten a little ripped off too!) So I (Mr. Cheapskate) was happy because I had gotten "something for nothing" and DW was happy because she would get to experience the exhalted status of Aqua Class with its super fancy/exclusive BLU restaurant! As a bonus we ended up getting an A1 room!

 

To make what has obviously become far too long of a story short....

 

Our first night aboard we went to Blu with our hearts aflutter. What wonderful dishes would await us? We had always loved everything we had in the MDR and the Specialty restaurants. We sat down, opened the menu, I quickly scanned the menu for something that the DW might like (btw - she doesn't eat red meat and generally likes chicken dishes). Ahh! A grilled chicken dish! PERFECT! And a Filet Mignon for me! YIPPEE! The room was beautiful but not nearly as "intimate" as I expected...kind of like a mini MDR with fancier decor and 2 top tables but still pretty loud and boisterous...but fine. And the SERVICE! TOP NOTCH! I can say it is the best aboard any ship we've sailed. But the food....sorry...but...meh....The Filet was "ok"...DW's chicken was "ok"...but nothing to write home about. We both agreed that just about everything we had had in the MDR on previous cruises was better.

 

The next morning BREAKFAST! We couldn't wait. DW loves Celebrity's waffles and Eggs Benedict. So imagine her suprise when she found out the menu did not have waffles OR Eggs Benedict. Now, dear Cruise Critics, I know what somebody will say: "I got a waffle! I just ASKED for it!" or "They'll get you Eggs Benedict, just ask!". That may be so, but we're just not those sort of people. We understand that others have ordered off the menu and have gotten served - sometimes with a smile, but sometimes with a snarl. But we're introverts and just don't like to make a hubbub. So if it's not on the menu we ain't asking. I was also disappointed to find that they did not have my BELOVED corn beef hash or some other favorite meats.

 

That night in Blu was worse. DW could find nothing on the menu but the default grilled chicken option. I was also hard pressed to find anything I cared for. Where was my beloved shrimp cocktail? What about all the yummy bread spreads? What about the old standby Ceasar Salad? Again, I know we probably could have asked...but we just didn't want to. I ordered the "Chicken Consomme'" which ended up being nothing more than broth with 2 tortellinis thrown in. I KNOW that that is basically what a Consomme' is but c'mon...a little creativity with flavor and presentation? I ordered the Tilapia and wasn't all that thrilled either. Just not a lot of "wow" factor. The tuna tartar was good however.

 

BTW - We had booked 4 nights of specialty restaurants - 2 x Qsine, Murano and Tuscan and knew we wouldn't be in Blu much but we decided for the remaining nights and breakfasts we would eat in the MDR. Which we LOVED. All of our favorite breakfast items, prime rib, shrimp cocktail, Ceasar Salads, chicken dishes, etc. We were perfectly happy and decided we just aren't "Blu People". We understand that they are going for a "healthier/lighter" type of style, but we're on vacation, on a liver-damaging Premium package...and we're not eating like birds! :) So no worries....we just won't book AQ (and cheapskate me will enjoy the savings!).

 

But here is where it gets kinda weird....the people from Blu kind of stalked us! I get that they are trained to go above and beyond in service, learn your name, make sure you're happy and what not...and that's fine. But when we missed breakfast and saw the assistant Maitre'd later in the day, she made a point of asking where we were...odd. But what is stranger, and borders on maybe rude to me, was on the last night of the cruise, while we sat in the MDR enjoying our luscious prime ribs (broken rule for DW!) the Maitre'D came into the restaurant, found us, and started asking what the issue was! I'd dare say he was a bit angryish! Again, I GET, that they want to please and make sure people are happy but I just found that a little bit overboard (pardon the pun). We were eating and didn't really want to get the 3rd degree...especially on our last night. We politely (I hope) explained that Blu just wasn't for us. It just made us uncomfortable as if we'd done something wrong....

 

The following morning (debark) I'll admit we really appreciated being able to use Blu as we could order from a menu rather than the "Express Breakfast" that the MDR serves. So we once again thanked the Maitre'D and the great staff and walked off the ship.

 

I know I largely talked about Blu as I see that as the "real" benefit if AQ but I'll mention just the other things here and our thoughts:

 

Benefits:

-Scented Room - Fine I guess...didn't add to or detract from our cruise

 

-Upgraded Amenities - DW could speak to this better I guess but we both agreed the shampoo was watery and wouldn't lather

 

-Pillow Menu - Non-existent as it has been on every cruise we've taken. The room steward looked at us like we were from Mars when we asked about it but DW has neck problems and he did bring a firmer pillow.

 

-Upgraded Showerhead - I kinda hated the thing to be honest. There didn't seem to be an off position at least on ours. You kinda had to play with the knob to get it "just right" between the shower and sprayer settings.

 

-Daily Iced "Tea" - Ok...if that's what you call it. We called it "ick". The couple next door was overheard saying "We're from the South...and that is NOT iced tea!" :)

 

-Canapes - Most of 'em are good but again - how much do you want to pay extra for a few snacks?

 

-Relaxation Room - Quite nice althought we didn't end up using it. Almost too quiet in there.

 

-Persian Garden - We took a peek and mutually decided that laying on a hot rock was not nearly as enticing as laying on soft warm lounger by the pool! :)

 

-Express Check-In/Bag Delivery - YES! Love it! But not at this price...

 

So bottom line. We'd never book Aqua Class again but are glad we were able to try it for "free" (not really). My feeling going in was always that it was way overpriced and I feel now I was right about that. DW agreed and said neither CC or AQ was worth it and even agreed that buying a Verandah GTY was a great idea. We've seen the ocean plenty of times so I'll be happy to take the chance of looking at a lifeboat for a significant discount!

[Kentucky816]

I enjoyed reading your take on Aqua Class. In part I agree mostly about room amenities. We love Aqua/ Blu, but I think we would enjoy a veranda and main dining too. If price becomes an issue we will go that route.

[cindy1957]

Funny, informative and fair. I still love AQ but I see your point.

[az_tchr]

Agree - We had a suite and ate in MDR with friends most of the time. The amenities are few in either C or AQ class. The only one we use is pillows and if you ask on arrival to your cabin they will give you anything you like in any class of cabin so ask quickly.

 

Love your comment about GTY veranda. The best deal is an inside GTY. Always dark with the lights off and if you want to see the ocean just put on some clothes and go look!

[neverbeenhere]

I'm right there with you. BLU makes me... So, a bit of Aqua Spa Cafe, a bit of MDR, a bit of eating in port, a bit of Elite Breakfast, etc. DW likes the Persian Garden, so she buys that on a per use basis to supplement any freebees.

 

 

On a comic note:

Filet was "ok"...DW's chicken was "ok"...but nothing to write home about. So why did you write it here.:D

[El Crucero]

Blu serves a healthier, lighter cuisine (it is a Spa experience). If this is not your taste, then yes, you are better off eating in the MDR or buffet.

[Iamcruzin]

Thanks for the review. I was tempted to book an Aqua room as it was only $50pp more than the C2 I booked. I hesitated because we are booked on the Summit and most of the Aqua rooms are in the worst location of the ship. On other lines balcony rooms in these locations are priced towards the lower end. Aft balconies being the exception as they command their own price without the bells and whistles of Aqua or Concierge class. I have been curious about Blu and always wondered if sacrificing a prime location would pay off in Blu. Your description of Blu is spot on with what I thought it would be. I like to stretch the vacation dollar as much as I can as well and DW is even lower maintenance than I am. She would sleep in the broom closet if it meant that she could be on a cruise ship. This time I booked CC because we don't have to fly to port and it was the best value with the drink package, gratuities and $300 obc included when we booked under the 123 go promo. I even scored a $200 price drop 4 months after I booked. I'm so glad that I wasn't seduced by Aqua class and Blu.

[Lastdance]

Thanks for the review. I was tempted to book an Aqua room as it was only $50pp more than the C2 I booked. I hesitated because we are booked on the Summit and most of the Aqua rooms are in the worst location of the ship. On other lines balcony rooms in these locations are priced towards the lower end. Aft balconies being the exception as they command their own price without the bells and whistles of Aqua or Concierge class. I have been curious about Blu and always wondered if sacrificing a prime location would pay off in Blu. Your description of Blu is spot on with what I thought it would be. I like to stretch the vacation dollar as much as I can as well and DW is even lower maintenance than I am. She would sleep in the broom closet if it meant that she could be on a cruise ship. This time I booked CC because we don't have to fly to port and it was the best value with the drink package, gratuities and $300 obc included when we booked under the 123 go promo. I even scored a $200 price drop 4 months after I booked. I'm so glad that I wasn't seduced by Aqua class and Blu.

 

For me it is all about location, location, location...C2 on the hump; S1 on deck 11.... the tea is yucky, especially if you have ever lived in the South!:eek:

[Hlitner]

Oh My! We assume your Maitre'd in Blu was Fernando, and he is actually a very good manager. When they "stalked you" to find out why you were not coming to Blu, you should have told them the truth! Must admit that I also miss Prime Rib when we eat in Blu, although Shrimp Cocktail is always available in Blu (along with French Onion Soup, Escargot, Cheesecake, etc) as part of what I call the "secret menu." We were on the Eclipse last month, and one morning when DW and I were coming out of the Elite Breakfast (in the Tuscan) Fernando spotted us and asked why we did not have breakfast in Blu....but it was more tongue in cheek then serious....and he was also supervising the Elite Breakfast in the Tuscan.

 

Having done Aqua a few times we would also agree that the Blu menu (basically unchanged for many years) is somewhat tired and too limited. We used to think that Aqua Class was worth about $30 per person/day over a regular balcony, but now wonder if it is worth more then even $20. In fact, one might do better to book a lower category balcony cabin (they are the exact same size as the AQ cabins) and eat more meals in the alternative restaurants or perhaps try to grab the ultra dining package.

 

We now have a personal dilemma in that we booked the Eclipse (for next November) in Aqua Class (our 5th time in Aqua) just before Celebrity started their new booking schemes (big better best etc). If we try to modify the reservation to a regular balcony it will cause difficulties with our pricing. My preference is to just cancel the entire cruise and book on another cruise line at a substantially lower cost per passenger day then the boosted X prices. But DW does enjoy the Eclipse and we both like the 14 day Caribbean itinerary (we have done this 6 out of the last 7 years among are many other cruises). Since we are busy traveling the next 4 months we will put all this on the back burner until the spring and then make a decision.

 

Hank

[ShawninFL]

We have been in AC once and are booked in it for another cruise next year. With that being said, I agree with your opinion of Blu. Whereas the lighter fare was fine with me, my other half definitely did not care for the spa cuisine. We did enjoy the fresh fruit delivered to the room as well as the canapes. I'm a shower hog and loved the bathroom. We'll go to Blu a few times on our next trip, but we really enjoy a laid back casual vacation, so we'll use the buffet quite a bit as well. I believe Celebrity does very well on the buffet front, at least for my tastes. I can't say why we upgraded this upcoming cruise to AC from the OV we originally reserved when we prefer the MDR over Blu, but when the price for AC dropped we both said, let's upgrade. So there were things we enjoyed about the AC experience that made it an upgraded vacation experience for us. I'm actually hoping to get that call with a cheap upgrade to a suite, but I know that's doubtful. :-)

[jelayne]

It's too bad that you were reluctant to ask for what you wanted. I have had Onion Soup, French fries, shrimp cocktail & ceasear salad in Blu just by asking.

 

We always check the menu in Blu and the MDR, if there is nothing we like in Blu we ask the maitre'd to arrange for us to eat in the MDR. This not only smooths the way but let's them know that we are not unhappy with the service but just don't care for that nights menu- hence no need to "stalk" us to see why we weren't there.

[riredsox]

Yes to everything you said about Aqua! Fun review to read too as I just went through it all right down to hiding in the MDR!:eek:

Edited December 29, 2015 by riredsox

[WEGL81]

It's too bad that you were reluctant to ask for what you wanted. I have had Onion Soup, French fries, shrimp cocktail & ceasear salad in Blu just by asking.

 

We always check the menu in Blu and the MDR, if there is nothing we like in Blu we ask the maitre'd to arrange for us to eat in the MDR. This not only smooths the way but let's them know that we are not unhappy with the service but just don't care for that nights menu- hence no need to "stalk" us to see why we weren't there.

 

^^^This^^^ If you're not willing to ask for something, then how will Celebrity ever understand that something needs to change? There's a reason they have the "available every day" items on the Blu menu. And there's a reason why they have other items always available but not on the menu (like French onion soup, shrimp cocktail, etc). The willingness to ask can sometimes yield pleasing results.

 

Having said all that, I will say that although our next 3 booked cruises are in Aqua, they were booked a while back with the 123Go and the prices weren't too much higher than Concierge and Veranda. However, our latest booking, which is the farthest out in 2017, is on a Veranda. The difference in price between Aqua and Veranda on this cruise will pay for eating every night in a specialty restaurant for both of us ($1100 on a 12 day cruise). With Aqua benefits eroding, and the Blu menu seemingly never changing, there isn't much of a reason to book Aqua anymore.

[4774Papa]

We were upgraded to Aqua on Infinity in 2013 and loved BLU and Persian Gardens. We got a call from Celebrity for our Millennim cruise in Oct/Nov and had a suite for $800 total.

 

The suite was nice (cabin 6145),spacious and we loved dining in Luminae.

 

However, I notice when price cruises, like the Eclipse TA from Southampton in 2017 that Aqua is $500 pp more than a veranda. A sky suite is double or more of a veranda.

 

DW and I both concluded that as nice as Luminae and BLU are, paying that much more for either is just not worth it for us.

 

If we had traveled with one or more of our grown children, perhaps a suite would not be so costly per person and would be worth the extra. However, we like to travel overseas about twice a year and going with a suite would limit us to once a year.

[sunshine nana]

Our first time in Blu was Equinox and we loved the room and the food. DH liked the hovering service, I could have done without it, but overall it was great. We had prime rib and always had good choices (2012). We were in an S1. The next time, we were in an S1 on Silly (2014) and had traditional MDR at 6:00. Every night, we checked both Blu and MDR menus and choose MDR except for the two nights we ate in specialties. Blu seemed to have lost some of the good choices. The last time we ate in Blu was Constellation in 2015 and the room, food and service were not good. It was overcrowded, noisy and the food was dry. We were in a CS, but Luminae was just being built. All in all, I think Blu needs an update if Celebrity wants to keep charging more for mostly poor location cabins.

[Iamcruzin]

It's nice that Celebrity will accommodate the Blu guests with items from the MDR menu but why pay a premium for a room in a bad location just to order food off of the MDR menu? The OP stated that they prefer the MDR over Blu so I don't think being able to order a few select items here and there would have sealed the deal for future Aqua sailings. If you don't like Blu there is no point of booking Aqua class.

[warmwinds]

I'm not sure how the tipping exactly works, but I wonder if that was the reason for the stalking/questions. If you were not in Blu (your assigned dining), were your waiters in Blu going to get their tips, or would they go to the MDR waiters who did serve you?

[rjrpar]

I guess we'll file this under "dissenting opinion" regarding Aqua Class as most seem to love it. We are NOT at all bashing Celebrity, the Eclipse or our cruise. It was, as always, LOVELY and we "almost" booked another cruise onboard. This is just perhaps a different take for others like us who may not be impressed with AQ/Blu...

 

 

 

First a little background. We are a couple of mid-40's DINK's who got the cruising bug just 4 years ago on a 5 night aboard the Millenium. Since then we have sailed Celebrity 6 more times on both Millenium and Solstice class vessels and have always been super happy with the food, service and overall experience and I feel we are speaking with at least some experience. A little more background...I tend to be, shall we say, "conservative" with our vacation spend while the DW tends to be "liberal". Or as the DW would say, I am "CHEAP" and she "maximizes her vacation experience"!

 

 

 

We just got off of the 12/18 Eclipse 9 night sailing. My DW had received a "credit voucher" for signing up for a Celebrity Credit card. This turned out be not such a great deal. In order to use the "credit", you had to book a Concierge class room or higher. We had booked Concierge in the past and were not impressed with the amenities vs the upcharge but the DW wanted to use the "credit" and booked us. So a few months ago, while dreaming of the cruise, I logged into the Celebrity website to take a gander at our booking and my eyes bugged out of my head! I quickly looked at the then current rates and realized that, even with our "discount" we were paying more than we would have for Aqua Class! I immediately did some digging here on this VERY useful forum and found that some folks had reported success with calling the Captain's Club and requesting an upgrade. I did just that and was pleasantly suprised (read: SHOCKED - I never get anything) at how with very little prodding, I was able to upgrade us to an Aqua Class Guarantee! (Frankly, I think the dude at the Captain's Club might have thought we had gotten a little ripped off too!) So I (Mr. Cheapskate) was happy because I had gotten "something for nothing" and DW was happy because she would get to experience the exhalted status of Aqua Class with its super fancy/exclusive BLU restaurant! As a bonus we ended up getting an A1 room!

 

 

 

To make what has obviously become far too long of a story short....

 

 

 

Our first night aboard we went to Blu with our hearts aflutter. What wonderful dishes would await us? We had always loved everything we had in the MDR and the Specialty restaurants. We sat down, opened the menu, I quickly scanned the menu for something that the DW might like (btw - she doesn't eat red meat and generally likes chicken dishes). Ahh! A grilled chicken dish! PERFECT! And a Filet Mignon for me! YIPPEE! The room was beautiful but not nearly as "intimate" as I expected...kind of like a mini MDR with fancier decor and 2 top tables but still pretty loud and boisterous...but fine. And the SERVICE! TOP NOTCH! I can say it is the best aboard any ship we've sailed. But the food....sorry...but...meh....The Filet was "ok"...DW's chicken was "ok"...but nothing to write home about. We both agreed that just about everything we had had in the MDR on previous cruises was better.

 

 

 

The next morning BREAKFAST! We couldn't wait. DW loves Celebrity's waffles and Eggs Benedict. So imagine her suprise when she found out the menu did not have waffles OR Eggs Benedict. Now, dear Cruise Critics, I know what somebody will say: "I got a waffle! I just ASKED for it!" or "They'll get you Eggs Benedict, just ask!". That may be so, but we're just not those sort of people. We understand that others have ordered off the menu and have gotten served - sometimes with a smile, but sometimes with a snarl. But we're introverts and just don't like to make a hubbub. So if it's not on the menu we ain't asking. I was also disappointed to find that they did not have my BELOVED corn beef hash or some other favorite meats.

 

 

 

That night in Blu was worse. DW could find nothing on the menu but the default grilled chicken option. I was also hard pressed to find anything I cared for. Where was my beloved shrimp cocktail? What about all the yummy bread spreads? What about the old standby Ceasar Salad? Again, I know we probably could have asked...but we just didn't want to. I ordered the "Chicken Consomme'" which ended up being nothing more than broth with 2 tortellinis thrown in. I KNOW that that is basically what a Consomme' is but c'mon...a little creativity with flavor and presentation? I ordered the Tilapia and wasn't all that thrilled either. Just not a lot of "wow" factor. The tuna tartar was good however.

 

 

 

BTW - We had booked 4 nights of specialty restaurants - 2 x Qsine, Murano and Tuscan and knew we wouldn't be in Blu much but we decided for the remaining nights and breakfasts we would eat in the MDR. Which we LOVED. All of our favorite breakfast items, prime rib, shrimp cocktail, Ceasar Salads, chicken dishes, etc. We were perfectly happy and decided we just aren't "Blu People". We understand that they are going for a "healthier/lighter" type of style, but we're on vacation, on a liver-damaging Premium package...and we're not eating like birds! :) So no worries....we just won't book AQ (and cheapskate me will enjoy the savings!).

 

 

 

But here is where it gets kinda weird....the people from Blu kind of stalked us! I get that they are trained to go above and beyond in service, learn your name, make sure you're happy and what not...and that's fine. But when we missed breakfast and saw the assistant Maitre'd later in the day, she made a point of asking where we were...odd. But what is stranger, and borders on maybe rude to me, was on the last night of the cruise, while we sat in the MDR enjoying our luscious prime ribs (broken rule for DW!) the Maitre'D came into the restaurant, found us, and started asking what the issue was! I'd dare say he was a bit angryish! Again, I GET, that they want to please and make sure people are happy but I just found that a little bit overboard (pardon the pun). We were eating and didn't really want to get the 3rd degree...especially on our last night. We politely (I hope) explained that Blu just wasn't for us. It just made us uncomfortable as if we'd done something wrong....

 

 

 

The following morning (debark) I'll admit we really appreciated being able to use Blu as we could order from a menu rather than the "Express Breakfast" that the MDR serves. So we once again thanked the Maitre'D and the great staff and walked off the ship.

 

 

 

I know I largely talked about Blu as I see that as the "real" benefit if AQ but I'll mention just the other things here and our thoughts:

 

 

 

Benefits:

 

-Scented Room - Fine I guess...didn't add to or detract from our cruise

 

 

 

-Upgraded Amenities - DW could speak to this better I guess but we both agreed the shampoo was watery and wouldn't lather

 

 

 

-Pillow Menu - Non-existent as it has been on every cruise we've taken. The room steward looked at us like we were from Mars when we asked about it but DW has neck problems and he did bring a firmer pillow.

 

 

 

-Upgraded Showerhead - I kinda hated the thing to be honest. There didn't seem to be an off position at least on ours. You kinda had to play with the knob to get it "just right" between the shower and sprayer settings.

 

 

 

-Daily Iced "Tea" - Ok...if that's what you call it. We called it "ick". The couple next door was overheard saying "We're from the South...and that is NOT iced tea!" :)

 

 

 

-Canapes - Most of 'em are good but again - how much do you want to pay extra for a few snacks?

 

 

 

-Relaxation Room - Quite nice althought we didn't end up using it. Almost too quiet in there.

 

 

 

-Persian Garden - We took a peek and mutually decided that laying on a hot rock was not nearly as enticing as laying on soft warm lounger by the pool! :)

 

 

 

-Express Check-In/Bag Delivery - YES! Love it! But not at this price...

 

 

 

So bottom line. We'd never book Aqua Class again but are glad we were able to try it for "free" (not really). My feeling going in was always that it was way overpriced and I feel now I was right about that. DW agreed and said neither CC or AQ was worth it and even agreed that buying a Verandah GTY was a great idea. We've seen the ocean plenty of times so I'll be happy to take the chance of looking at a lifeboat for a significant discount!

 

 

Good post. I believe that AQ is overpriced for some "benefits" that have very little value. Never could understand the loyalty towards this class of cabin or the love shown for Blu - very average cruise ship food

[Hlitner]

It's nice that Celebrity will accommodate the Blu guests with items from the MDR menu but why pay a premium for a room in a bad location just to order food off of the MDR menu? The OP stated that they prefer the MDR over Blu so I don't think being able to order a few select items here and there would have sealed the deal for future Aqua sailings. If you don't like Blu there is no point of booking Aqua class.

 

If this were only true. On the Solstice Class ships (we cannot speak for the M Class) they will generally only allow Blu guests to order from their "secret menu" of a very limited number of MDR dishes (i.e. French Onion Soup, Shrimp Cocktail, Escargot, and perhaps a few others). Asking for something such as Prime Rib or Eggs Benedict (breakfast) will not usually get you very far. And that begs the question. Why don't they have Eggs Benedict in Blu (they would only need to add Hollandaise Sauce to the galley inventory) and why not also add waffles (the addition of a simple waffle iron is all that is needed)? The reality is that Blu can easily be improved at very little extra cost to the cruise line.

 

We have a similar attitude to some other posters. Our current Aqua Class booking for the Eclipse was made prior to the new good,better best pricing fiasco and we paid very little extra for Aqua. But looking forward to 2017 the price differences just do not support Aqua....where we think you actually get a bad cabin location (too close to the overhang) as compared to regular balconies. While we might be willing to pay up to $20-25 per passenger day more for Aqua, anything more then that is just folly. When X started Aqua Class they did a great job marketing it as a step-up. But now, at best it is a quarter step :(. On the Eclipse cruise last month, we ate 11 dinners in Blu (2 in Murano and 1 in Qsine). Of those 11 dinners, two were lousy. Most of the other dinners were very good with a few others mediocre. Even on a short 14 day itinerary they repeated several entrees (with a slight alteration in presentation) including lamb shank, beef shank, duck breast, etc. The lobster presentation looked nice, but honestly did not taste as good as just ordinary lobster with drawn butter. The Rib Eye was a total joke (and caused the Maitre'd lots of grief) since it was only about 1/4 inch thick and more of a minute steak then a rib eye. Shame shame.

 

If X wants to keep marketing Aqua as a step up. then they need to revamp the Blu menu and make it something better then the cuisine in the MDR. Currently, that is not the case except for some of the interesting starters.

 

Hank

Edited December 29, 2015 by Hlitner

[chicagopaul]

Very enjoyable and well balanced review. Personally, I do like Blu but mainly for the better service and more intimate dining setting. However, on our last cruise we were in Aqua Class and we ended up buying the ultimate dining package. We're not big breakfast people so we never visited Blu once!

 

While we still do like AQ (location of cabins and option to have Blu), I do agree that the pricing on Aqua, on some cruises, is getting a little out of control. One of our future sailings in back on the Reflection. We decided to book a balcony cabin instead of Aqua or a Suite and figure we will just dine at specialties each night. It is cheaper going that route than booking Aqua and we can use our OBC for the restaurant package.

 

Cheers & Happy Sailing!

[El Crucero]

Why don't they have Eggs Benedict in Blu (they would only need to add Hollandaise Sauce to the galley inventory)

 

Because Eggs Benedict are not part of the light and healthy concept of Blu. If you don't like eating lighter and healthier food options, then

Blu is not for you. We love Blu and are looking forward to it on our next cruise.

 

We do find that some executive chefs and assistants do better than others on various cruises. Let Celebrity know on your comment card so they can weed out the bad ones.

 

we paid very little extra for Aqua. ..............While we might be willing to pay up to $20-25 per passenger day more for Aqua, anything more then that is just folly.

 

While we still do like AQ (location of cabins and option to have Blu), I do agree that the pricing on Aqua, on some cruises, is getting a little out of control. One of our future sailings in back on the Reflection. We decided to book a balcony cabin instead of Aqua or a Suite and figure we will just dine at specialties each night. It is cheaper going that route than booking Aqua and we can use our OBC for the restaurant package.

 

We shop carefully when booking Aqua. Often times it is the same price or less than Concierge or a balcony. Booking a balcony at a good price and using OBC for specialty dining is a good strategy.

[ghstudio]

I think Celebrity has lost sight of the value of Aqua...hoping that they can convince folks to upgrade at the same time they are cutting back. Service at Blu has been going downhill...and some might say that the wine steward service has gone almost completely with one wine steward serving the entire restaurant. Clearly the wait staff is now stretched thin as well. The food has been relatively constant...but some, like us who cruise mostly in aqua would say boringly constant...and that's another problem.

 

As far as the perks, the mixed fruit bowl was a plus, the water each day also a plus as well as the towels which were actually nicer than regular balcony cabins.

 

Today's Aqua still has value, but not what Celebrity is asking as a premium. My unofficial synopsis of posts here on cc is that it's worth no more than maybe $200 a cruise. In actuality, quite often I see aqua at the same or less price as C2. (let me interject that I see no reason at all, other than captain club points, to book a C2/C3 cabin over a 1A unless you are on an m-class where the C2/C3 cabins are physically larger).

 

We try to book aqua on the M-class ships booking A1 at the A2 price (captain's club perk) so we can be on deck 11 which, at least up until they put the theater above has been wonderfully quiet...now, who knows. On S-class ships, we book 1A's with the larger balconies.

 

I kind of think Celebrity is shooting themselves in the foot with Aqua cutbacks that cost them essentially nothing but enhance the experience (the daily water,....) and as folks discover that the MDR which had gone down hill is now returning to a nice restaurant with good service. Breakfast in the MDR is actually just as nice as Blu (and they do offer eggs benedict and corned beef hash) and much better than the new elite breakfast platter format which we really dislike. But it's their cruise line...and we'll just work around their cuts as best we can...and we'll continue to take more and more non Celebrity cruises when we aren't travelling with friends.

Edited December 29, 2015 by ghstudio

[hulamoon]

We are fans of our original Blu experiences, I also vote for getting the quality back up for service and food preparation.

[marieps]

We are consistent AQ/Blu cruisers. We even get the same room. This was one of the most balanced and well thought out posts I've seen on AQ in some time.

 

Totally fair. It is a shame, however, that OP did not feel comfortable asking for what he desired. My DW wants a very dry muesli in the morning and the waiters often say "You sure you don't want some milk in that?" She also wants a bowl full of raspberries and blueberries. No other fruit. It comes every time.

 

I hope the OP experiments with becoming a tad more assertive and finds a measured improvement in his cruise experience.

[bbeltmom]

I feel the same about Aqua. If you are a cheapskate, don't let the wife try a suite. Once we did that, we never went back! And now with Luminae for dining, I can't imagine we ever will.

(Maybe once we retire and have more cruising time available we would pay less to cruise more, but not yet....)