Booking dining in Aqua Class (Cruise newbies)

[westscot]

We are excited for our first ever cruise next month on Celebrity Beyond.

 

We are booked in a Aqua Class stateroom which we are aware includes dining in the Blu restaurant.

 

My partner and I are really keen to try each of the Main Dining Room restaurants (Cosmopolitan, Tuscan, Normandy, Cyprus) which are included, in addition to dining in Blu. How do we go about booking tables for each night, as we prefer to plan and book ahead? Is it straightforward for us to do this even though we have been assigned to the Blu restaurant as part of Aqua Class?

 

Which dining times are typically most popular?

[CruisinBanka]

Blu does not except reservations and is walk up. You will probably have no wait unless you go at the busiest time. Even then might only wait 10-15 minutes. Most popular times are 6:30-7:30. 
as far as the other dining rooms you can make reservations pre cruise online or at restaurants when boarding ship. Enjoy your cruise! 

[jelayne]

The menus for the 4 MDRs are the same in each of them

Although each has a few “Exclusive” items you can get the exclusive items from any of the 4  in any of the MDRs.

 

 

[westscot]

Thanks both of you for your responses. We are “Select Dining Anytime” as staying in Aqua Class stateroom. Presumably this is in reference to the Blu restaurant. How does it work for us as Aqua Class guests if we wish to dine in each of the MDR’s for a change of scene and experience more of the ship, etc?

[jelayne]

We always tell the Blu MaitreD if we are not planning to have dinner there. They sometimes arrange for us to go to the MDR, sometimes we just go to the MDR when we are ready. 
 

We rarely go to a MDR when in Blu.  We find Blu to be excellent and since Blu is the reason we book Aqua makes no sense to pay more for Blu and then eat in the MDR.

[keesar]

8 minutes ago, westscot said:

Thanks both of you for your responses. We are “Select Dining Anytime” as staying in Aqua Class stateroom. Presumably this is in reference to the Blu restaurant. How does it work for us as Aqua Class guests if we wish to dine in each of the MDR’s for a change of scene and experience more of the ship, etc?

Some nights, the menu in Blu is not appealing to us.  So we either go to a Specialty Restaurant or go to one of the MDRs.  Be aware that if you book a Specialty Restaurant, the staff at Blu is notified somehow by the computer system. If we go to a MDR, we let the staff at Blu know.  On our last 7 day cruise on Beyond, we had dinner 4 times in Blu as we wanted to try a MDR and a Specialty Restaurant.   We really enjoyed the MDRs and the food was excellent.  It is walk up when you are ready to dine.   You will enjoy the Beyond.

[CruisinBanka]

3 minutes ago, westscot said:

Thanks both of you for your responses. We are “Select Dining Anytime” as staying in Aqua Class stateroom. Presumably this is in reference to the Blu restaurant. How does it work for us as Aqua Class guests if we wish to dine in each of the MDR’s for a change of scene and experience more of the ship, etc?

Select Dining means you do not have assigned early dining or late dining seating and have the option of walk up dining or making a reservation for dining at the 4 main dining rooms. In my 20+ Celebrity cruises that were in Aqua class, I can tell you that Blu service and food is superior to the dining rooms. It provides a more intimate dining experience. Also, besides the Blu Menu options, you can order selections from the main dining menus. You could always experience the main dining room for lunch, as Blu does not serve lunch. 

[WestLakeGirl]

Diners in Blue on e class ships do not have the option to order from tge MDR MENU.  That only works on M and S class ships.

[westscot]

I have tried to make a reservation at the various MDR’s via the app, and only available times are 9pm and 9.30pm mostly? Does this mean we have left it too late or should we still be able to eat dinner at our preferred time (around 7.30) in the MDR’s, as Aqua Class guests? 

[WestLakeGirl]

You already know that your assigned dining room is blue. If you are trying to go to one of the main dining rooms, they will try to make room for you but there is no guarantee, especially as you are wanting to eat at the most popular times. Your best bet is to consult with the blue maître d’ staff who will assist you in changing to the main dining room on a night by night basis.

[CruisinBanka]

13 minutes ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Diners in Blue on e class ships do not have the option to order from tge MDR MENU.  That only works on M and S class ships.

Oh thanks! Wasn’t aware of that restriction in Blu, as all my sailings on E Class have been in Luminae 

[bigbenboys]

9 minutes ago, CruisinBanka said:

Oh thanks! Wasn’t aware of that restriction in Blu, as all my sailings on E Class have been in Luminae 

On the E Class ships while dining in Luminae you cant order off the MDR menu. This is the main reason we try not to book E Class ships. 

[Blueseas109]

Is  Blu better on E class ships? I was on the Summit  2 weeks ago and not impressed with Blu. I found the menu very limited and did eat off the MDR menu once or twice. The desserts were very disappointing with the exception of the chocolate cake.  Believe or not 3 out of the 7 nights we ate in the buffet because the menu did not entice us and my DH eats anything. Not sure I would cruise Aqua Class again. 

[CruisinBanka]

4 minutes ago, Blueseas109 said:

Is  Blu better on E class ships? I was on the Summit  2 weeks ago and not impressed with Blu. I found the menu very limited and did eat off the MDR menu once or twice. The desserts were very disappointing with the exception of the chocolate cake.  Believe or not 3 out of the 7 nights we ate in the buffet because the menu did not entice us and my DH eats anything. Not sure I would cruise Aqua Class again. 

Blu menu would be the same on E Class ships 

[papadave]

Blu, which I like, is probably not for everyone.   
 

One of their aims is to provide lighter food which, as with most restaurant experiences, is not exactly health food, just not as indulgent as much of the MDR menu when it comes to calories, fat and the like.  As such, you will see more fish, less heavy sauces, that kind of thing.   If I were taking a very short cruise, something like 5 days, I would probably want to eat prime rib and over-indulge like there is no tomorrow.   However, if you are on a ship for a week or two, you might feel better without rich desserts.  

 

If you meet others and want to dine with them, you cannot invite them to join you in Blu unless they are already permitted to eat there.   I find that a good idea for planning, as we tend to meet people during the course of a cruise and can enjoy extra company and fresh conversation at dinner.

 

For me, the best parts about Blu are that it is less hectic and, as I recall, there is a higher ratio of staff to guests than you would find in the main dining room.   

 

In the end, it is your vacation, your cruise, and the best way to enjoy things is to make choices that are right for you, not for someone else.   Have a great trip!