Blu - bringing a guest from non-Aqua stateroom

[TroubleT]

My friend who will be staying in Aqua Class cabin said that Celebrity had a rule: *Guests who are traveling as Singles and booked in Aqua or Suite Class staterooms paying a double occupancy rate will be allowed to bring one guest from any non-Aqua/ non -Suite stateroom category when dining in Blu Restaurant at no additional charge.*

Did anybody have that experience with Blu and non-Aqua guest? And is it a one-time dining or it can be every evening?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by TroubleT

[bEwAbG]

That statement is from this flyer.  It says anytime the solo person assigned to Blu (or Luminae, if in a suite) eats there, they can bring a guest, so it appears to be every time the dining room is open.  I'd take a copy of the flier with me just in case.

 

http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/17057517_CEL_Concierge_and_Aqua_Class_Amenities.pdf

 

 

[hcat]

Slippery slope!

[JFontaine]

What’s the slippery slope?  I’ve done this in Suites when traveling solo, no problem for every meal. 

Edited September 4, 2019 by JFontaine

[Northern Aurora]

2 hours ago, TroubleT said:

My friend who will be staying in Aqua Class cabin said that Celebrity had a rule: *Guests who are traveling as Singles and booked in Aqua or Suite Class staterooms paying a double occupancy rate will be allowed to bring one guest from any non-Aqua/ non -Suite stateroom category when dining in Blu Restaurant at no additional charge.*

Did anybody have that experience with Blu and non-Aqua guest? And is it a one-time dining or it can be every evening?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I travel I am accompanied by my husband.  But we were on a B2B2B series this spring and one of the Aqua stateroom passengers, traveling solo and paying double occupancy, was certainly able to bring one guest into Blu.  I don't know if that guest policy would be applicable for every evening, but certainly it was more than once.  And I also have no idea if it was a space available situation.  Seemed very fair to us, and I also don't see this policy, while not wide discussed, as being a "slippery slope."

[Miaminice]

I don’t know about singles but I do know that in regular cases the exclusivity of BLU to AQ and Suites and no guests is just about the only rule strictly enforced.

[cruisestitch]

The slippery slope is that Blue has always had a "no guests" rule - you had to be in an Aqua room or a Suite to dine there.  The ability of a single passenger being able to bring a guest is a recent tweaking of the rule.  

 

Next will come "but my friend is not staying in an Aqua room and wants to come to Blue with us" and "my family didn't book Aqua but they want to come to Blue with us" and so on...

[NeroliGirl]

Isn't the point that as a solo traveller you will have paid a 100% single supplement (in nearly all cases - apparently there is a mythical 50% uplift but have never sen it!) - so in effect you will have paid for meals for two persons in Blu, so your guest is only using what you have already paid for. I think X would be quite strict on not allowing guests into Blu under any other circumstances.

[hcat]

2 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

The slippery slope is that Blue has always had a "no guests" rule - you had to be in an Aqua room or a Suite to dine there.  The ability of a single passenger being able to bring a guest is a recent tweaking of the rule.  

 

Next will come "but my friend is not staying in an Aqua room and wants to come to Blue with us" and "my family didn't book Aqua but they want to come to Blue with us" and so on...

 

My concern is strictly based on overall  restaurant  capacity and staffing in BLU , not what people pay for their accomodations. (which I agree is unfair for solo cruisers) .

 

BLU  used to be a quiet oasis for dinner,  with an excellent clean menu, attentive  personalized food and wine service;  adequate wait  staff and kitchen staff.   No rush, no hurry, no lines, no waiting for wine service and   no beepers.   It can still  happen,  but there has been a  decline from the time BLU began..

 

More  AQ rooms have been added in,  and suite guests  continye to have access even after Luminae came on line.  Sometimes the space available rule  for suite guests is strictly enforced but more often it is not adding to the numbers. Luminae could perhaps be improved/ revamped to reduce demand  for BLU by suite guests,  or maybe AQ Class guests could be given 2  night dinner passes to Luminae to even out numbers.

 

Success has  come with a cost,  At present,  there is more demand than capacity....esp peak dining hrs. But there's the same amount of seats in the small space, fewer staff,  and much more noise,  lines,  and beepers. More scurrying and hurrying. 

 

We are taking a break from BLU...trying the 4 mdr plan on EDGE, regular MDR on Summit and a suite on Connie. Hope when we return to BLU after that,  it will  once again be an Oasis!

[mayleeman]

If all Aqua staterooms were capacity occupied, Blu would have to accomodate, so I don't see how a few solos bringing guests could overwhelm.

 

Blu on Reflection in April got crowded at certain times. Like all non-reservation restaurants, the solution was to adjust the time we went.

[twins_to_alaska]

As someone who has travelled solo and is paying double I don't see the problem. As noted if the cabin had full actual occupancy Blu would have to accomodate. No slippery slope.

[barbette165]

Indeed, and a solo passenger dining in Blu would still occupy a table for two, so there is no increased occupancy by letting them bring a guest to occupy the spare chair.

[JFontaine]

I don't see the slippery slope either.  That otherwise empty chair has been paid for twice - first by the solo Blu/Luminae cruiser, and also, to a lesser extent, by their guest who paid to be in the MDR.  To think the solo cruiser should be penalized so that the couple who paid the same should enjoy a quieter meal is unkind at best. 

[TroubleT]

Thank you all for your answers! I really appreciate it!

I also don't see "the slippery slope" here.

1. As someone mentioned, my friend pays 100% single supplement. So she pays for 2 guests.

2. Also, she won't be joining any big tables (and big tables as far as I know are reserved for big groups in Blu). So she will occupy the same small table for two (with one open seat for me :))).

The only small print in this rule is "based on availability". But that brings us to item # 2 - one seat will always be available at the table for two.

[Laurab23]

1 hour ago, barbette165 said:

Indeed, and a solo passenger dining in Blu would still occupy a table for two, so there is no increased occupancy by letting them bring a guest to occupy the spare chair.

I totally agree with this.

 

Laura

[hcat]

Well I am clearly  in the minority but hoping..they can add more staff, go to a soft res system or stretch the walls..

 

If we could eat later on, it could be less  crowded..but need to eat early