Aqua Class, it is worth it

[Bo1331]

Looking to book Constellation from Tampa in Feb and want to try Aqua Class.  Is it worth the cost.  Also it includes a drink package which I hope works in Blu.

[KKB]

 

As much extra as they are charging for AQ now, I say no.

We did it once but it was  $50 more! Blu is great.

Rooms are virtually identical--oh you get a fancier shower head & some nicer toiletries. Again--cheaper to bring your own.

But for what they charge you could eat specialty dining every night & buy a spa pass for less & STILL have $ left over, typically. 

(I just pulled up our Dec Beyond cruise...AQ is double a normal veranda!)

 

(Drink package works everywhere on the ship.)

Edited January 5, 2023 by KKB

[natshala]

I like Blu very much but I agree with KKB. 

[LGW59]

18 minutes ago, Bo1331 said:

Looking to book Constellation from Tampa in Feb and want to try Aqua Class.  Is it worth the cost.  Also it includes a drink package which I hope works in Blu.

Looking to book Constellation from Tampa in Feb and want to try Aqua Class.  Is it worth the cost. Totally 100% subjective and I think you'll get as many yes as no

 

Also it includes a drink package which I hope works in Blu. It will

[deultgen]

We love Aqua Class and have sailed in AQ many times.  Love Blu and the Persian Garden.

 

At the same time, I completely agree with KBB (above).  We are priced out of AQ Class on nearly every cruise we are looking to book.  

 

 

[NCteacherlovescruising]

We were very fortunate on our last cruise.  They had several aqua rooms left shortly before our sailing so we were able to upgrade from Concierge class for a little under $200.  We loved Blu!  However, I wouldn't pay a lot more for it, especially since we don't use the spa.  

[jelayne]

On the Constellation and other M Class ships the AQ cabins are larger than the standard verandas.  

 

The Constellation has fewer specialty restaurants than the larger S & E class

so the suggestion to save money and buy a specialty dining package gives you only 3 restaurants to choose from Tuscan Grill, Le Petit Chef and Sushi on 5.

Le Petit Chef isn't one you would likely want to repeat in 1 sailing unless they switched the animation.

 

 

[ISABELLA]

Worth it for not more than $30.00/pp per day. Otherwise, we prefer specialty restaurants..

Persian Garden on M class not worth anything.

[pixiedust777]

Love Aqua class. Blu is lovely.

However on the M class ships the Persian gardens are not that great.

Did not even use when we were on the Infinity in September.

Much better on the S class.

I would not spend more than $50 per day to be in Aqua on a M class ship.

 

 

 

 

[breadandbutter]

Blu is very good,  both food and service.

Persian gardens is crap, there aren't even any reclining heated beds, just a heated bench seat.

Afternoon hors d'oeuvre weren't anything to write home about.

We never used the gym equipment in the room.

Would definitely upgrade for the right price tho.

 

[Ken the cruiser]

4 hours ago, Bo1331 said:

Looking to book Constellation from Tampa in Feb and want to try Aqua Class.  Is it worth the cost.  Also it includes a drink package which I hope works in Blu.

Seems like a pretty fair deal to me. I'm assuming this is the cruise you're referring to.

 

 

I checked and a veranda with AI is $2,141 per person and a concierge cabin is $2,313. The AQ cabin is $2,686. For a 10 day cruise, with a walk-in shower and to be able to eat in Blu. Yup, sounds like a no brainer to me.

 

 

Edited January 5, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Cruising Divers]

We love Aqua and upgrade to it every single time we can afford to but admittedly have not (and would not) paid double what a standard veranda would have cost us for it. 
 

Breakfast in Blu is excellent and I’ve always enjoyed the rooms themselves. Persian Garden perk is also very nice also so my vote would be to do it if you can at an affordable price otherwise I personally feel forced to spend that money elsewhere. 

[toddmanka]

Just booked a Aqua cabin on Reflection and it was less expensive than a regular balcony

[phoenix_dream]

You will get all kinds of answers as to value.  And costs differ by sailing of course, depending on availability.

 

We always book Aqua when suites are too expensive for us.  We love dining in Blu for breakfast and dinner.  On M class, we like the extra cabin space.  Not big spa people, but if you are and particularly in S or E class this is a nice perk.  M class spas are not that impressive IMHO.

[Mike45LC]

I am not usually a fan of Blu, but last month we had a great experience there.  I still did not like the "healthier" menu, but I was able to order from the MDR menu several nights.  For me, the value was in getting real anytime dining [our longest wait to be seated was about two minutes] and great service.

 

@Cruisiing Divers:  Blu closes breakfast too early for me.  I set the alarm to get up for breakfast in Blu at least once, but my one experience there was very bad.  My pancake was tough and stone cold.  The butter was frozen and the pancake would not melt it.  My over easy egg was also cold and the yolk was solid.  And the meal took forever.  The buffet breakfast the other six days was much better!

 

The Persian Gardens is OK, not great.  The steam room was nice and hot!  And empty -- only the heated loungers were being used by other guests.  (On Solstice, there is a free sauna for all, so you don't need Aqua for that.)

 

The bathroom upgrades are nice.  

 

Personally, I value the upgrade to Aqua at $20 pp pd.  

 

[aggiejd2000]

I think Blu is a step up from the MDR so if the cost difference isn't much, I think that alone is worth it. 

[natshala]

2 hours ago, breadandbutter said:

Blu is very good,  both food and service.

Persian gardens is crap, there aren't even any reclining heated beds, just a heated bench seat.

Afternoon hors d'oeuvre weren't anything to write home about.

We never used the gym equipment in the room.

Would definitely upgrade for the right price tho.

 

I was just on Beyond B2B AQ. They no longer do the afternoon hors d’oeuvres. IMHO the gym equipment is a gimmick. The room isn’t large enough for serious exercise. The shower is great. The thermal suite gets old quickly. I think I’m done with AQ although I liked Blu a lot.

[nonrev1]

We were just on Apex in Aqua class.  Still had afternoon hors d’oeuvres, did enjoy several choices of gym equipment in the cabin.  We also used the different types of saunas….which are great on the new ships but they do not have them on M class.  We enjoy Aqua for the smaller dining venue it offers and feel the service is much better than the MDR options.  If you can get a good price, it is worth it.  

[hubofhockey]

I like Aqua on M Class ships because there aren’t many dining alternatives and dinners are relaxing.  The Persian Garden after a long day on a tour is great too and same on sea days.  I can see why some say they don’t see the value, and I do believe you need to really like Blu and the Persian Garden.

[Rtowncruiser]

4 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

 

 

The Persian Gardens is OK, not great.  The steam room was nice and hot!  And empty -- only the heated loungers were being used by other guests.  (On Solstice, there is a free sauna for all, so you don't need Aqua for that.)

 

Where is this free sauna on the Solstice you speak of? 😁

 

 

Edited January 6, 2023 by Rtowncruiser

[Purplsmurf]

We booked Our first Aqua cabin for an upcoming cruise only because it was cheaper than a veranda. Figure if we don’t care for Blu, which I’m not sure we will (I’m gluten free and don’t want to decide my meal the night before) we can eat in the MDR and not feel guilty. We aren’t spa people either so we shall see if we use Persian Gardens. 

[Arizona Wildcat]

As promised no agreement.  Our upcoming cruise was $50pp over a veranda.  We love Blu.  Others don't.   

[Mike45LC]

3 hours ago, Rtowncruiser said:

 

Free sauna (mens) is inside the men’s changing room.  I did not use it.

[KKB]

16 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Seems like a pretty fair deal to me. I'm assuming this is the cruise you're referring to.

 

 

I checked and a veranda with AI is $2,141 per person and a concierge cabin is $2,313. The AQ cabin is $2,686. For a 10 day cruise, with a walk-in shower and to be able to eat in Blu. Yup, sounds like a no brainer to me.

 

So it will be $1100 more for 2. 

Close to a wash to buy 10 night specialty dining, spa pass, so that extra shower room might be worth it!

As much as I liked Blu, for 10 days think I'd prefer specialty dining. Perhaps MDR for formal nights, specialty dining the rest.

[nonrev1]

I did find that you have to watch for the pricing.  It was not too much more for Aqua class on the cruise we have booked for December.  But the price included unlimited Wifi, Gratuities and Beverage package.  The pricing on the Veranda did not.  So, when we added everything up - it was almost the same in price.  So - if we wanted to  throw in specialty dining or go to the spa it would have cost more than booking Aqua class.