Sailing aqua-class on Equinox. Should we dine in Blu all the time? Is it better than the MDR and specialty restaurants?

[dreamboat43]

Sailing in aqua-class on Equinox in August.  Should we dine in Blu all the time?  Is it better than the MDR and specialty restaurants?   Breakfast, lunch, and dinner?  We are a party of 6 looking for great food and great service.  

[miched]

There is no lunch in Blu

 

Is the food any better than the MDR?   It is a matter of opinion.  We have dined in both.   We have found that the service is great in both.    Blu is not as crowded and a little more personal.    I found that the breakfast in the MDR has more selections and the service to be just as good.  

 

if you are in AQ you can dine in both.  They serve lunch in the MDR on sea days.  
 

The specialty restaurants are that.  They are special and service is a little better because the server  doesn’t  serve as many people.   It is a dining experience and the food is more gourmet.    Plan on 2 to 2 1/2 hours.   
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅
 

 

[NantahalaCruiser]

As always, food is subjective. In MHO the food in Blu is somewhat better than in the MDR, but no where close to that of the best specialty restaurant - Murano. So taking a break from Blu for a dinner in Murano is a must do for anyone looking for great food and service. That said, breakfast and dinner (no lunch) in Blu is delightful, with a much more subdued atmosphere than that of the MDR. Enjoy.

[TeaBag]

We cruise in AQ a lot and will be there again in 2 weeks.  We really like Blu.  As for Murano, we have dined there 3 times on three different ships and came away thinking it was not spectacular as many others say.  We hope you enjoy your meals in Blu and your cruise.  We often go to at Aqua Spa cafe for lunch.  The name is a little confusing as this little restaurant is not just for AQ class.  It is for everyone.

[jelayne]

Blu is the reason many book Aqua.  We feel the  food and service is better than the MDR.  It took us a few cruises in Aqua before we learned that in addition to the items on the menu and the every day chicken, salmon and steak options there are some other things you can order.  French onion soup, shrimp cocktail, escargot, Caesar salad, French fries & mashed potatoes come to mind. 

[mfs2k]

When we were on Equinox we dining in Blu for all our breakfasts and dinners except for a few nights when we paid to experience specialty restaurants. 
We didn’t have even consider dining in the MDR. The food ambiance and service was perfect in Blu. 

[Mark_K]

Don’t know if you still can, but at one time, on at least some ships, you could eat in Blu and order from the mdr menu.  Similarly, could eat in Luminae and order from the Blu or mdr menus.

[keesar]

9 hours ago, dreamboat43 said:

Sailing in aqua-class on Equinox in August.  Should we dine in Blu all the time?  Is it better than the MDR and specialty restaurants?   Breakfast, lunch, and dinner?  We are a party of 6 looking for great food and great service.  

 

We have at least one dinner meal in a specialty restaurant.  On those nights we do not see anything to our liking in Blu, we head to the buffet for a relaxing meal. There are more choices in the MDR than in Blu. But food can be more 'made to order' in Blu.    Be advised that the tables for 2 are very close to each other and it can be challenging not have a private conversation.

 

 The breakfasts in Blu are very good. Great way to start the day.

[NantahalaCruiser]

11 hours ago, TeaBag said:

We cruise in AQ a lot and will be there again in 2 weeks.  We really like Blu.  As for Murano, we have dined there 3 times on three different ships and came away thinking it was not spectacular as many others say.  We hope you enjoy your meals in Blu and your cruise.  We often go to at Aqua Spa cafe for lunch.  The name is a little confusing as this little restaurant is not just for AQ class.  It is for everyone.

Aqua Spa Cafe was in deed the original name, but it has been called just Spa Cafe for many years now.

[basenji56]

18 hours ago, NantahalaCruiser said:

As always, food is subjective. In MHO the food in Blu is somewhat better than in the MDR, but no where close to that of the best specialty restaurant - Murano. So taking a break from Blu for a dinner in Murano is a must do for anyone looking for great food and service. That said, breakfast and dinner (no lunch) in Blu is delightful, with a much more subdued atmosphere than that of the MDR. Enjoy.

Agree with you. I really miss Murano on the Edge class ships. I enjoy Blu on Solstice class ships. It’s not as “necessary” on Edge class ships because the main dining rooms are smaller. 

[sn2792]

We were in Aqua Class in March. We dined in Blu most nights. We did one night in Tuscan and was not impressed. We did one night in Murano. It was delicious as always. We were given the MDR menu when we were in Blu and could order off that menu if we wanted. We did occasionally order appetizers off MDR menu.

[PinkSandGirl]

Hi!  On an October '21 9-night sailing on the Equinox while staying in AquaClass we dined in Blu 7 of the nights with the other 2 in Specialty.  We chose Specialty based on the Blu menus we weren't fond of.  There were 4 of us and most nights at least 1 of us ordered something from the Main Dining Room menu as well.  Having the option of the MDR menu helped. 

 

We found the service to be excellent (same waitstaff the entire time...even for breakfast). 

 

I was hesitant at first for the food and also atmosphere. I like the large grand dining room but as soon as we enjoyed our first dinner in Blu, we all agreed AquaClass for Blu at a minimum if not a suite.  

 

I do wish breakfast was served later and lunch would also be a nice option.  We went to lunch one time in the MDR during that cruise. 

 

I have always had excellent service in the MDR but Blu exceeded that in a way that I was pleasantly surprised.  😉

 

🍹

[Guppy99]

12 hours ago, sn2792 said:

We were in Aqua Class in March. We dined in Blu most nights. We did one night in Tuscan and was not impressed. We did one night in Murano. It was delicious as always. We were given the MDR menu when we were in Blu and could order off that menu if we wanted. We did occasionally order appetizers off MDR menu.

This is NOT true of every class ship. Only those that share a galley

[Cruise a holic]

We have been in suites and AQ on the ship.  We enjoyed blu the first time we sailed, but it was so repetitive after the second sailing. Service was ok- not great

 We now sail in suites.  Blu  was ok for breakfast- but then dinners fair- the restaurant is too crowded IMO table for two in a long row- no privacy.

 

 Luminae much better- but we only have breakfast in Luminae maybe a rare lunch or dinner.   We prefer to dine in specialty restaurants.  If available we take the unlimited dining package on Celebrity.  Much more relaxed overall, and nice choices.   If you can swing it- luminae overall is much better then Blu.

[RedneckBob]

Currently on Equinox. I would suggest you dine in Blu and not try MDR. Most disappointing food in MDR ever for dinner on Celebrity. We just came off a 14 day Apex cruise a couple a months ago and it was best food ever on a cruise. What should I know since I have been only  cruising for 46 years. But I know food is subjective but when I ordered grilled chicken one nite and it is so rubbery; how rubbery was it RedneckBob? It fell of the plate, hit the floor and bounced right back on the plate 😳 Every cut of beef or lamb I ordered is tough. To night is Murano. Fingered cross.

[cruise47]

20 hours ago, NantahalaCruiser said:

Aqua Spa Cafe was in deed the original name, but it has been called just Spa Cafe for many years now.

Excellent choice for lunch. 

[mfs2k]

59 minutes ago, RedneckBob said:

it is so rubbery; how rubbery was it RedneckBob? It fell of the plate, hit the floor and bounced right back on the plate

Maybe you should be “RubberNeckBob” after that post. 

[southernbreezes]

I have always had great service and great meals in the MDR but Blu is Special and is the reason we book Aqua Class. We like a small dining room and the meal selection is fine for us. My next cruise is a transatlantic and we will be eating in Luminae only can hope its as good as Blu has been. I was very hesitant in booking a suite and not dining in Blu but with so many sea days just wanted a larger cabin

[RedneckBob]

54 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

Maybe you should be “RubberNeckBob” after that post. 

Great response!
I hope that to nights meal at Murano’s will be Two Tums Up!

[TeeRick]

3 hours ago, RedneckBob said:

Currently on Equinox. I would suggest you dine in Blu and not try MDR. Most disappointing food in MDR ever for dinner on Celebrity. We just came off a 14 day Apex cruise a couple a months ago and it was best food ever on a cruise. What should I know since I have been only  cruising for 46 years. But I know food is subjective but when I ordered grilled chicken one nite and it is so rubbery; how rubbery was it RedneckBob? It fell of the plate, hit the floor and bounced right back on the plate 😳 Every cut of beef or lamb I ordered is tough. To night is Murano. Fingered cross.

@RedneckBob This is similar to a line in the Blues Brothers song.  "Rubber Biscuit".  Do you know it?  Or more appropriate, the Blu's Brothers for Aqua Class.😎

Edited April 10, 2022 by TeeRick

[RedneckBob]

50 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

@RedneckBob This is similar to a line in the Blues Brothers song.  "Rubber Biscuit".  Do you know it?  Or more appropriate, the Blu's Brothers for Aqua Class.😎

Don’t have a clue. Are you the cc member who responded to me about what you can call me ?

[mayleeman]

Eating breakfast in Blu on our 2019 Reflection cruise was the mist disappointing part of an otherwise wonderful trip. The wait staff was upset when I wanted a Mimosa because they had to go to a bar--took 20 minutes with only about 8 tables occupied. The menu was very limited, and the toast was cold. Enjoyed MDR and buffet much more. Another couple we got to know had exactly the same experience.

 

For dinner my only complaint was that it was very crowded and too warm. Long sleeve shirts and/or jackets very uncomfortable!

[Guppy99]

I was on Equinox in Dec.  The sourcing for the proteins and fresh vegetables (if you even get any other than a couple asparagus) has really suffered with Covid. Also, whomever the chef is on Equinox then (and likely still now) was really awful. It was the very first time we have been totally disappointed in Blu, and Tuscan.

 

I have never been impressed with breakfast in Blu (over any other venue) or lunch in the MDR.  Just not very good or properly prepared.  

 

However, I am hoping Blu makes a comeback. Going on a 7 day this July and we will see, The atmosphere in Blu is very much a cut above.

[aml3679]

We absolutely loved Blu

[cheeseheads4ever]

Just a quick question. If you are in a Sky Suite I know you get Luminae as a restaurant but can you go to Blu as well?

Just curious.
BTW we love Murano’s.