Blu - no private tables?

[Bob7]

First time in Aqua coming up on the Summit for 2 of us … photos of Blu look like the tables are quite close to each other … is it rather hard to have a private conversation?  Has anyone found a way to achieve this? … maybe moving tables a bit?

[keesar]

There are tables a little separated from others but you should request one.  However, most of the tables are quite close and your neighbors often join your conversation...

[Member123]

Having sailed in Blu multiple, multiple times, I can assure you that it's fairly easy to tell if the persons seated next to you are wishing to engage in social conversation (or if they "only have eyes for each other").

 

The most sought after locations for dining in Blu (in my experience) are the tables in proximity to the windows. If you wish to have a more romantic, private conversation, just let the maitre 'd know of your desire and you will most definitely be seated in a more secluded area of the restaurant. Of course, I'm speaking of knowledge of Blu prior to the dry dock changes, but in looking at the few pictures I've been able to find, the layout of Blu is still familiar to me.

[cruiserhal]

We always sail on Aqua for Blu and yes the tables for 2 are very close.  But as mentioned above it is easy to tell if the people next to you want to talk or want to have a private meal.   Other than saying hello, if someone wants to have a prolonged conversation we politely respond but go back to a personal conversation.  That usually takes care of the issue.   I hate to sound unsocial but we enjoy a personal dinner for 2 at home and on a cruise. 

 

I agree that asking for a table at the window or asking for privacy will help.

 

Enjoy your trip.

[Lady Arwen]

Tried Blu twice and we just never enjoyed it.  Tables too close......I could have buttered the bread for the lady next to me.  Food was okay as was service, but for us, not worth the extra cost over a standard balcony.  You can eat in a specialty restaurant each night for less and get better food and service.  Just my opinion.....lots of other folks love Blu!

Edited March 24, 2019 by Lady Arwen
spelling

[Redtravel]

Yes, the tables for 2 are very close together. Had some nice conversations with people at next table. Reminds me of many restaurants in NYC.  If you want to truly be alone, Blu is not good. MDR has some tables for 2 that are not that close to next table.  Space is at a premium on ships. Want to have a very private conversation, don’t do it at meals. 

[HAM]

The tables are very close, which comes in handy if you need to inquire if your neighbor has any Grey Poupon !!😉

[Floater4life]

How would you all have survived back in the day when all tables were large and you had to eat with strangers  Anyway, people know when someone doesn't want to talk.  After reading so many comments about how they  dislike this interaction with other cruisers I will never speak to anyone at another table again.

[Member123]

26 minutes ago, Floater4life said:

How would you all have survived back in the day when all tables were large and you had to eat with strangers  Anyway, people know when someone doesn't want to talk.  After reading so many comments about how they  dislike this interaction with other cruisers I will never speak to anyone at another table again.

Do you frequently travel in AQ?

 

Please, don't let some of these comments inform your opinion and prompt action on your last statement. AQ is one of my favorite stateroom categories onboard ship and I've continued to sail through loss of AQ amenities simply because of BLU. Not only have we sat next to complete strangers who later became such good friends that we've booked cruises together, but also sat next to complete strangers who remained strangers. It all depends upon the mood of the next table and, also admittedly, our mood that evening. 

 

We've had birthday celebrations and anniversary celebrations in BLU. Some we wanted to mingle with others; some we wanted some more quiet time. There are alcoves within BLU that are, decidedly, private spaces, especially in the back area away from the windows. We've been seated at a table that we fondly nicknamed "no man's land" because it was too far away from other tables to engage in conversation. That table right next to the column? Practically in the middle of the restaurant on the M-class ships?

 

Anyway, I find BLU to be absolutely superb. I had my own trepidation before my first BLU experience. My advice is to simply go... see for yourself... make an informed decision. What do the philosophers say? Know Thyself. If you're a social person who enjoys conversation, it's a brilliant place to be. If you're a more reserved person who likes the exclusivity of a 2-top... in my opinion, they can accommodate you in BLU. It's a matter of asking for what you want and evaluating if you received.

[keesar]

If people want a private dining experience, they are best in a Specialty Restaurant or in the MDR.  You will probably not get that in Blu.  The tables are so close that servers cannot go between the two tables.  We have even shared items with the next table and I kid you not.  

 

As people have said, if you want to have true private conversation, do so in your stateroom.  

[Rob the Cruiser]

Look for the two-tops that are situated next to a column and on the aisle. (Lower left in this picture.) The column serves as a sort of barrier. There is a column on one side and four-top or aisle on the other. 

 

[txflood33]

My wife and I loved Blu when we sailed in AQ. Yes, the tables are close together. No, we were never prompted to engage in conversation, buttering bread, or sharing appetizers. We were able to have conversations over dinner and drinks and never felt like others were dropping eaves.

 

To be fair, more than likely, your private conversations on a cruise are usually do you want to try that excursion? How do you feel from walking all over the earth yesterday? Day at sea tomorrow, what do you have planned? We never felt awkward with any of our dinner discussions and never felt the need to keep our voices down lower.

 

Everyone else is on vacation just like you and discussing their plans and hopes and wishes. Enjoy your cruise. 

[hcat]

You may not achieve complete privacy but there are  various spots in each BLU dining rm where you can avoid chatting with  others if you want to. Tbls for 2 in the mdrs are very close to others...esp along the back ...

[Lolabunny488]

We have always sailed in blu and don’t know any different sometimes we sail as a 2 and other times with my parents.

we love Blu and the personal touches you get also as a vegetarian it’s always the little details that matter to me.

in regards to tables some cruises we’ve been on people don’t even acknowledge you when you sit down next to them. We found this on the med cruise we did last May from Barcelona to Venice as we are a young couple both in our 30s) for most people we always get a disapproving look. 

Weve done three Xmas and new year cruise and the atmosphere is completely different most tables will acknowledge you and some in detailed conversation.

weve found out some great tips by talking to the next table about tips for our next port or different wine or cocktail to try. Justa polite evening or smile and you’ll soon know if they want to talk or not! 

 

please don’t be put off, we love celebrity for the pure fact of Blu this stands them apart from royal who we used to sail with. 

 

Enjoy 

[Carnevale]

Are the evening menus for Blu and the MDR posted outside the restaurants during the day so we can review them in advance in order to decide where to dine that evening?

 

Does Blu have a separate vegetarian menu or just a few vegetarian items on the main menu?

[Hlitner]

Once upon a time nearly all cruisers wanted to share large tables (we still do) to socialize with others and make new friends.  The 2-tops came into vogue and quite a few passengers wanted their own table.  And now, we see that some not only want their own table, but want a lot of space between the tables.  We suspect the next thing is that some will want a private dining room for 2 :).

 

Hank

[GrayMaineCruiser]

The tables are close but I never felt, even when we had a couple sitting in a table next to us, that our conversations were on display or being eavesdropped on.  Depending on when you arrive, if it's not super busy I'm sure you could ask to be seated in one of the more empty portions of the dining room.  

 

Also, just FYI, the table situation is pretty similar in Luminae.  

 

Honestly, even as a couple of introverts, my wife and I liked having the opportunity, if wanted by our neighbors, to engage in a little chit-chat to learn more about our fellow cruisers.  

[txflood33]

21 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Once upon a time nearly all cruisers wanted to share large tables (we still do) to socialize with others and make new friends.  The 2-tops came into vogue and quite a few passengers wanted their own table.  And now, we see that some not only want their own table, but want a lot of space between the tables.  We suspect the next thing is that some will want a private dining room for 2 :).

 

Hank

 

I'm curious and ask this genuinely respectful of your opinion...If you were on a land vacation, would you expect/hope for the same dining service at the Hilton you are staying at? My dad cruises and cannot tell me enough stories of all of the interesting people he met at dinner at their table for 8-10 top. I would find this service odd at a hotel, so that's why I find it odd at sea. I'm somewhat of an introvert. I have no desire to make friends on vacation. If it happens, cool. But I'm not going out of my way to make friends.

 

I see the ship as a floating hotel. This is my vacation to spend with my wife. I have no issue saying hello, or giving a handshake, or a quick elevator conversation, but I'm just not interested in dining with 6 strangers. I simply see it as 2 different personality types, and neither is wrong.

[MizDemeanor]

After having been on S Class and enjoying Blu and understanding the closeness of the two tops in that venue, I am curious to see the layout on Summit in two weeks is similar. 

 

FWIW we have had wonderful conversations with other assigned to tables of two's in the MDR where the tables fot two were just as close as they are in Blu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lisiamc]

I like to sit where I can talk to people, but on a recent cruise, I had a lingering cough, and knew no one except long-suffering DH would want to sit near me.  So I told the Maitre d’ and she sat us in the darker back corner for a few nights.  No one was very near us, and the dining room wasn’t full, because we eat late.  So it’s possible to get a pretty private table.  

[markeb]

56 minutes ago, txflood33 said:

 

I'm curious and ask this genuinely respectful of your opinion...If you were on a land vacation, would you expect/hope for the same dining service at the Hilton you are staying at? My dad cruises and cannot tell me enough stories of all of the interesting people he met at dinner at their table for 8-10 top. I would find this service odd at a hotel, so that's why I find it odd at sea. I'm somewhat of an introvert. I have no desire to make friends on vacation. If it happens, cool. But I'm not going out of my way to make friends.

 

I see the ship as a floating hotel. This is my vacation to spend with my wife. I have no issue saying hello, or giving a handshake, or a quick elevator conversation, but I'm just not interested in dining with 6 strangers. I simply see it as 2 different personality types, and neither is wrong.

 

We're mostly with you. I think this is one of the areas of the cruise vacation that's changed. We've done the large groups (and sometimes found ourselves alone as the rest of the table either went to the buffet or a specialty restaurant), and the two tops such as Blu and Luminae. We generally prefer the latter as they feel more like a fine dining restaurant on land. Although we have met interesting people in the MDR in the past (and the bars, the theater, the pool, etc...).

 

The first time we ate in Blu, on Reflection, we both commented how much it felt like a Michelin 2-3 star restaurant in New York or London. Those tend to be very close together (maybe not quite as close as Blu...). We personally like that setting. Others prefer the communal table, and I'm fine with that as well.

[sft429]

2 hours ago, Carnevale said:

Are the evening menus for Blu and the MDR posted outside the restaurants during the day so we can review them in advance in order to decide where to dine that evening?

 

Does Blu have a separate vegetarian menu or just a few vegetarian items on the main menu?

 

I could be wrong but if you are sailing Aqua, then Blu is your assigned dining room.  I don't think you are given the option of dining in the MDR.

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, txflood33 said:

 

I'm curious and ask this genuinely respectful of your opinion...If you were on a land vacation, would you expect/hope for the same dining service at the Hilton you are staying at? My dad cruises and cannot tell me enough stories of all of the interesting people he met at dinner at their table for 8-10 top. I would find this service odd at a hotel, so that's why I find it odd at sea. I'm somewhat of an introvert. I have no desire to make friends on vacation. If it happens, cool. But I'm not going out of my way to make friends.

 

I see the ship as a floating hotel. This is my vacation to spend with my wife. I have no issue saying hello, or giving a handshake, or a quick elevator conversation, but I'm just not interested in dining with 6 strangers. I simply see it as 2 different personality types, and neither is wrong.

If you carefully read my post it does not express an opinion, but rather spoke to the history and changes in cruising.   On the other hand, if I was staying at a Hilton I would not be happy if my hotel room was the size of most cruise ship cabins :).  

 

Hank

[alcpa1]

On the M class ships the menus are indeed posted outside the dining venues. You can get items from the MDR in Blue. You cannot get the MDR items on the S class ships.

 

I agree that the tables for 2 on the Summit in Blu were spacier in the rear of the restaurant. The tables next to the windows have a wider aisle for the wait staff. I haven't seen pictures of the new configuration so I don't know what changes have been made.

[Luvcrusn]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Once upon a time nearly all cruisers wanted to share large tables (we still do) to socialize with others and make new friends.  The 2-tops came into vogue and quite a few passengers wanted their own table.  And now, we see that some not only want their own table, but want a lot of space between the tables.  We suspect the next thing is that some will want a private dining room for 2 :).

 

Hank

Many years ago, on a land vacation to London, England DH and I had a very unfortunate and uncomfortable experience dining with another couple we'd just met. We were young, and DH was working for a major university in the alumni relations department and the couple in question were affluent, influential, major contributors and alumni of that school. We were reluctant to criticize their abhorrent behavior toward the staff of the restaurant and to other diners. Since that time, we prefer a table for two when travelling. We've made many friends during our travels, but that was after a chance to sit back and observe and judge whether we cared to interact or to stay to ourselves. DH is an extremely social, amiable, good natured person and I often say he can (and does) converse with anyone, but that long ago experience continues to serve as a cautionary experience. I understand OP's concern. They should know that in Blu they can request a table that is more secluded, and that if they want a private dining experience, fellow diners will respect their privacy.