Aqua class - pros & cons

[catspaw1]

How does AQ dining work? Do you make reservations like the MDR? Get an assigned time? Eat with the same people every night? Are the tables for two close together like the MDR? If you don't like the menu that night, can you still order from the MDR? Does classic & premium beverage packages work or do you pay extra for drinks? What are the pros & cons of AQ? Would you book it again?

[mrgabriel]

You do not make reservations for Blu nor do they accept them unless you have a big party (6, 8), just show up when you want to eat. You can request to have the same servers for dinner.

 

Blu also has sit-down breakfast which is nice, although you normally don't have your evening server.

 

You aren't seated with others unless you specifically ask - like if you're in a group of 4 or 5 or whatever.

 

The tables are fairly close together although we have found that almost everyone is respectful and doesn't eavesdrop or join in conversations. I normally can't hear other conversations unless the person speaking is very loud.

 

You can always order the everyday favourites if you don't like the menu (grilled chicken breast, broiled salmon, caesar salad, onion soup, etc. I think there's a steak in there) but on some ships, Blu is a long way from the main dining room so they do not allow you to order from the MDR menu.

 

Your beverage package is accepted - same as every other venue on the ship except the mini bar in your cabin.

 

The main pro for AQ is Blu. If you like the spa, you'll enjoy access to the Persian Garden. For us, it's all about not eating in MDR.

 

We would definitely book AQ again and have probably sailed in AQ about 15 times in the past few years as it's our preferred cabin class. (We choose to not book Suites.) But we now watch the pricing and if AQ is priced WAY higher than a verandah cabin, we book the verandah. If AQ is $1k more per person, we can eat in specialty dining every night. 

Edited August 31 by mrgabriel

[Peteymil]

15 minutes ago, mrgabriel said:

You do not make reservations for Blu nor do they accept them unless you have a big party (6, 8), just show up when you want to eat. You can request to have the same servers for dinner.

 

Blu also has sit-down breakfast which is nice, although you normally don't have your evening server.

 

You aren't seated with others unless you specifically ask - like if you're in a group of 4 or 5 or whatever.

 

The tables are fairly close together although we have found that almost everyone is respectful and doesn't eavesdrop or join in conversations. I normally can't hear other conversations unless the person speaking is very loud.

 

You can always order the everyday favourites if you don't like the menu (grilled chicken breast, broiled salmon, caesar salad, onion soup, etc. I think there's a steak in there) but on some ships, Blu is a long way from the main dining room so they do not allow you to order from the MDR menu.

 

Your beverage package is accepted - same as every other venue on the ship except the mini bar in your cabin.

 

The main pro for AQ is Blu. If you like the spa, you'll enjoy access to the Persian Garden. For us, it's all about not eating in MDR.

 

We would definitely book AQ again and have probably sailed in AQ about 15 times in the past few years as it's our preferred cabin class. (We choose to not book Suites.) But we now watch the pricing and if AQ is priced WAY higher than a verandah cabin, we book the verandah. If AQ is $1k more per person, we can eat in specialty dining every night. 

I would have said the same thing as you! We also do it so we are not in the main dining room. And agree, if it is way over the price of the veranda we just stick with that.

[catspaw1]

Thanks for the info. We saw a moveup offer for it on our cruise so we're interested.  I've never used Persian gardens due to the costs before but I saw it. I liked some of the entrees but some are very strange! We usually eat in the MDR so don't know any better. We did eat in Murano on our July cruise & loved it. The service was superb. We usually go to MDR for breakfast but may enjoy going to a dining room. May try the move up offer though!

[mrgabriel]

8 minutes ago, catspaw1 said:

Thanks for the info. We saw a moveup offer for it on our cruise so we're interested.  I've never used Persian gardens due to the costs before but I saw it. I liked some of the entrees but some are very strange! We usually eat in the MDR so don't know any better. We did eat in Murano on our July cruise & loved it. The service was superb. We usually go to MDR for breakfast but may enjoy going to a dining room. May try the move up offer though!

 

If you can get it for a reasonable price (whatever seems reasonable to you!) then it is worth trying. A couple of times we've been on cruises where the weather was cooler and the Persian Garden was very nice then.

 

I'm a picky eater that likes plain food. I have never gone hungry in Blu!

[OldDECie]

1 hour ago, mrgabriel said:

You do not make reservations for Blu nor do they accept them unless you have a big party (6, 8), just show up when you want to eat. You can request to have the same servers for dinner.

 

Blu also has sit-down breakfast which is nice, although you normally don't have your evening server.

 

You aren't seated with others unless you specifically ask - like if you're in a group of 4 or 5 or whatever.

 

The tables are fairly close together although we have found that almost everyone is respectful and doesn't eavesdrop or join in conversations. I normally can't hear other conversations unless the person speaking is very loud.

 

You can always order the everyday favourites if you don't like the menu (grilled chicken breast, broiled salmon, caesar salad, onion soup, etc. I think there's a steak in there) but on some ships, Blu is a long way from the main dining room so they do not allow you to order from the MDR menu.

 

Your beverage package is accepted - same as every other venue on the ship except the mini bar in your cabin.

 

The main pro for AQ is Blu. If you like the spa, you'll enjoy access to the Persian Garden. For us, it's all about not eating in MDR.

 

We would definitely book AQ again and have probably sailed in AQ about 15 times in the past few years as it's our preferred cabin class. (We choose to not book Suites.) But we now watch the pricing and if AQ is priced WAY higher than a verandah cabin, we book the verandah. If AQ is $1k more per person, we can eat in specialty dining every night. 

I concur, we tend to book AQ and that decision has been driven by the smaller Blu experience. We are also looking at verandah options in the future with a specialty focused meal plan if AQ prices rise too high. 

[miched]

32 minutes ago, SteveCascio said:

I concur, we tend to book AQ and that decision has been driven by the smaller Blu experience. We are also looking at verandah options in the future with a specialty focused meal plan if AQ prices rise too high. 

Veranda with the ultimate dining package. 
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Breakfast servers, it depends... I've been seated in my evening server's area at breakfast the whole time when I was on the Summit and about 3/4 of the time on the Beyond.

[OnTheJourney]

We did it twice. First time was pre-covid and there were some nice 'perks' like the really good iced tea that was put in the room every day, along with afternoon hors d'oeuvres. And, we really enjoyed the food in Blu. Second time was more recently and it was a big change. NO more iced tea. NO afternoon goodies, and we thought that while the food was good for the most part, it just didn't impress us as much. I only use the spa once or twice at most, and so without the other things that made it a bit special, not sure it's worth the extra money since basically the room is the same size as regular veranda. I'd really like to try suite class and see how we like that, but will probably wind up trying AQ again to see if it's about the same or improved (more like the first time - probably not though since we'll never go back to pre-covid times). All the lines cut back on certain things and I doubt they're coming back.

[OnTheJourney]

2 hours ago, mrgabriel said:

I have never gone hungry in Blu!

I'd tend to agree - not so much leaving hungry but rather a feeling like I certainly could have eaten a bit more. Biggest disappointment was that alot of it came barely lukewarm. Of course, that's not unusual on a cruise ship or even alot of restaurants.

[TommyD3]

Just back from 4 night in AQ on Reflection. For some reason the current short cruise AQ pricing is about 1/3 the normal AQ pricing per person per night. The MDR menu has been cut to the bone on all Celebrity ships. No longer any form of Filet Mignon or Rack of Lamb, both of which we had in Blu. Definitely worth it for what would be an inside cabin price on the Beyond !!

[NMTraveller]

The food is better than the MDR.

 

The two tops are too close…

[LB_NJ]

The one thing I DO NOT LIKE about Aqua is a lot of the cabins are under an overhang.

 

Depends on the ship of course and the specific cabin.

 

As others have said it also depends on the premium they are charging for Aqua on the specific cruise as to whether or not is worth it.

[mrgabriel]

2 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

The food is better than the MDR.

 

The two tops are too close…

 

We have only eaten in the MDR for lunch for the past many cruises and the two tops are just as close there as they are in Blu. 

 

Maybe those tables are in the Select section? Are there places (NOT Luminae) where the two-tops are spaced further apart?

[Liao]

8 minutes ago, mrgabriel said:

 

We have only eaten in the MDR for lunch for the past many cruises and the two tops are just as close there as they are in Blu. 

 

Maybe those tables are in the Select section? Are there places (NOT Luminae) where the two-tops are spaced further apart?

The specialty restaurants are better spaced.  Luminae 2 tops are just inches apart on EClass.

Edited September 1 by Liao

[the penguins]

15 hours ago, catspaw1 said:

How does AQ dining work? Do you make reservations like the MDR? Get an assigned time? Eat with the same people every night? Are the tables for two close together like the MDR? If you don't like the menu that night, can you still order from the MDR? Does classic & premium beverage packages work or do you pay extra for drinks? What are the pros & cons of AQ? Would you book it again?

for us the Cons outweigh Pros:

1) cabin locations - we never go higher than Deck 7 and like the cabins on the hump with the squarer balconies.

2) Having to eat in Blu - this is the "biggie" for us. One of the highlights of our cruise experience is sharing tables with different people in the MDR (Anytime dining) ideally on a table of 6. We eat as a couple every day at home and have no intention of doing so on a cruise.

3) Breakfast in Blu - this would be a total waste. We always have the Elite breakfast as for us it is the perfect mix of food/drink  plus on the Transatlantic cruises it is a great meeting place.

Not right or wrong just our personal choice.

[IDL]

Like most, the predominate reason we book Aqua class is to eat in Blu and, like many, we make that decision based on the price delta between a veranda (or infinite veranda) cabin on a preferred deck and an Aqua class cabin.  We enjoy the Blu menu and the ambience and service provided by a smaller dining venue.  Others “splurge” on the Retreat suites; speciality restaurants; premium drink packages, etc. so it is nice to have choices to somewhat “customize” your cruising experience. 

[Pushka]

We booked in Aqua for a Japan cruise itinerary and on Deck 11.  The price we booked is now the same price as for an inside cabin which are the only ones left for April 25. We've mostly booked Aqua and love Blu. 

[thebutlerdidit]

12 hours ago, TommyD3 said:

Just back from 4 night in AQ on Reflection. For some reason the current short cruise AQ pricing is about 1/3 the normal AQ pricing per person per night. The MDR menu has been cut to the bone on all Celebrity ships. No longer any form of Filet Mignon or Rack of Lamb, both of which we had in Blu. Definitely worth it for what would be an inside cabin price on the Beyond !!

Reflection had lamb shanks on one of the main dining room lunch menus on our ABC cruise. I attended the lunch and gave feedback that I really thought the lamb shanks would be a better fit on the dinner menu. It made for a heavy (yet delicious) lunch.

[NMTraveller]

9 hours ago, mrgabriel said:

 

We have only eaten in the MDR for lunch for the past many cruises and the two tops are just as close there as they are in Blu. 

 

Maybe those tables are in the Select section? Are there places (NOT Luminae) where the two-tops are spaced further apart?

The two tops with reasonable spacing are in specialty dining.  So we book this instead most times.

[fabby50]

You don't "have" to eat in Blu, you can eat in the main dining room instead if you choose.

[ravenjls]

14 hours ago, TommyD3 said:

Just back from 4 night in AQ on Reflection. For some reason the current short cruise AQ pricing is about 1/3 the normal AQ pricing per person per night. The MDR menu has been cut to the bone on all Celebrity ships. No longer any form of Filet Mignon or Rack of Lamb, both of which we had in Blu. Definitely worth it for what would be an inside cabin price on the Beyond !!

1.  On Reflection specifically, do you know if you can eat off the main dining room menu if nothing appeals to you on the Blu menu?  The main dining room seems to be on the deck below so I was wondering if this is possible?          2.  if not, can you show up at the main dining room and get a table or do you have to eat at Blu?

Edited September 1 by ravenjls

[TommyD3]

7 hours ago, ravenjls said:

1.  On Reflection specifically, do you know if you can eat off the main dining room menu if nothing appeals to you on the Blu menu?  The main dining room seems to be on the deck below so I was wondering if this is possible?          2.  if not, can you show up at the main dining room and get a table or do you have to eat at Blu?

Yes you can. On the first night I had both the Prime Rib from the MDR AND the Filet Mignon from the Blu menu !!!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I recently started booking AQ cabins as the price of suites has soared into the stratosphere.  I couldn't bear the idea of going back to the MDR.  I found the experience of dining in Blu to be comparable to Luminae except that lunch is never on offer in Blu.  What I find intriguing is the idea mentioned above of booking a regular balcony cabin and dining in specialty restaurants every night.  Will keep that in mind for future bookings.  Although I loved having access to those heated loungers on S class.  The spa area is dismal on M class, so I think I would book a regular cabin & specialty restaurants, although there are few specialty restaurants available on M class.

[jelayne]

We have considered the veranda & specialty restaurant option.   With few specialty restaurants on M and most S class and not being able to eat seafood/fish that option it is a non starter for me.  Now on E class it would be more appealing except we often book Suites but prefer the 4 MDRs over half the time.