aqua class or plain old veranda

[rolfecms]

We chose AQ class primarily because of our previous experience in Concierge Class, the AQ-class restaurant Blu and secondarily because of the access to the relaxation lounge and Persian Gardens.

 

What enticed us about Blu is:

• It is a specialty restaurant - so based on our experience on the M-class ships that means more personal service than the main restaurant. It's very nice the way the staff make you feel - like you're a VIP - which is a big part of what the Celebrity cruise experience is all about and what attracted us to it in the first place.
  
• It is an intimate venue - I count only 118 seats - besides the more personal attention you'll receive it will also have a smaller-ship, more exclusive atmosphere.
  
• The food - it promises to be a cut above the main restaurant (given the extra cost for non-AQ class pax) with both healthful and indulgent alternatives. So you can splurge on one meal then eat healthier the next if/when you feel the need to justify it!
  
• Affordable luxury - you don't feel like you're having to spend extra $$$ on it each time you go, even though it's part of the initial cabin price. The Nov 30 cruise prices put AQ class and Blu within our reach!
  
• The option to go to the main restaurant - although because it is our first S-class cruise we'll probably not go there for dinner. However, we'll still get to use it for breakfast and/or lunch (if Blu is not open at these times).

IMHO the whole AQ class idea is to make the shipboard feeling more intimate that what one would normally expect on ship with almost 3,000 pax. We'll see how it works out in practice! :D

 

BTW, we booked an AQ aft cabin - these have cabins above them and do not have overhangs.

 

Clarifications to the above, sorry for the confusion-

• Aft AQ cabins do not face backwards - they are aft, or near the back of the ship.
  
• There are a total of 130 seats in the Blu restaurant - my initial count was wrong. As per the seating there are also many more available tables for two - up to 47, with a minimum of 6 tables for four pax and 2 tables for 6 pax.

[Cote d'or]

As per the seating there are also many more available tables for two - up to 47, with a minimum of 6 tables for four pax and 2 tables for 6 pax.

 

This is interesting... where did you read or heard this ?

[rolfecms]

This is interesting... where did you read or heard this ?

 

As per the brochure floor plan, there are two tables specifically for 6 pax and six tables specifically for 4 pax. The remainder can be two or more based on whether they're separated or pushed together.

[Muushka]

That is appealing to me. As much as I love meeting new people and gabbing, dinner can take sooooo long. With a table for 2, should go pretty quickly, no? Can I assume that dinner times will be set like in the main dining room?

[rolfecms]

That is appealing to me. As much as I love meeting new people and gabbing, dinner can take sooooo long. With a table for 2, should go pretty quickly, no? Can I assume that dinner times will be set like in the main dining room?

 

Since there are 130 AQ cabins (or 260 pax) and 130 seats in Blu, that would indicate there will be two seatings, enough for half of the AQ pax to be in the first and half in the second seating.

 

Also, when I booked AQ with Celebrity they asked me my dining preference - first or second seating.

[Cote d'or]

As per the brochure floor plan, there are two tables specifically for 6 pax and six tables specifically for 4 pax. The remainder can be two or more based on whether they're separated or pushed together.

 

I hope you're right about the small tables separated or pushed toghether, although I've learned not to trust too much on floor plans and renderings.

But I guess we'll have to wait and see, and hope for the best. Anyway, we're looking forward to cruise on these beautiful vessels.

[rolfecms]

I hope you're right about the small tables separated or pushed toghether' date=' although I've learned not to trust too much on floor plans and renderings.

But I guess we'll have to wait and see, and hope for the best. Anyway, we're looking forward to cruise on these beautiful vessels.[/quote']

 

You're right that the floor plans could change. I think that given the more intimate venue (and the specialty aspect of it) would require more flexibility as far as seating is concerned. They are advertising AQ class as a 'rarefied retreat' so that would presume, I think, the ability to dine alone in Blu if you so desire.

[bahi]

Just booked an aft c1 cabin on the sky deck but I 'm stilling wondering if I should have tried the AQ. I've looked at the pictures of the aft and I can't tell if the balcony is lager or not. If not I think I should have went with the AQ which is now higher.

MB

[rolfecms]

Which cruise are you booked for?

[bahi]

11/30

[Leejnd4]

We've got an AQ cabin booked on Equinox 10/23/09, so I've been doing some research and think I can provide a few clarifications and confirmation.

 

All AQ pax will have their dinner seating assignment in Blu, NOT in the main dining room. You will not have assigned seating in the main dining room at all. You can dine in the main dining room if you want, provided there is space available.

 

There will be two seatings in Blu. Non AQ pax can dine in Blu for an additional fee (I was also told $30) if there is space available, and they make reservations.

 

Blu will NOT be serving the main dining room's menu. It has its own menu that includes both "healthy" and "indulgent" fare. It will NOT be "healthy" cuisine like the Aquaspa Cafe, but it will focus on "fresh" ingredients and use reduction sauces rather than cream sauces. But you will find things like herb-encrusted rack-of-lamb, and indulgent chocolate desserts.

 

Blu IS considered a specialty restaurant, and as such I think we can confidently expect that the food will be markedly better than the main dining room. It will be more cooked-to-order, and prepared in a dedicated kitchen (or so I'm told).

 

Further, being Concierge Class, you get priority reservations to the other specialty restaurants, so you don't have to eat a single dinner in the main dining room.

 

While there are lots of other selling points to the AQ cabins, I think this is among the top reasons to go AQ. I've read too many negative reports on the food in Celebrity's main dining room - and just being realistic, you can't expect to get a sublime dining experience when thousands of the same meals are being mass-produced. I really do believe that Blu will offer us the same level of specialty-restaurant dining experience for which Celebrity is famous. :)

 

Can't wait to find out if this is true!

[rolfecms]

I hope you're right about the small tables separated or pushed toghether' date=' although I've learned not to trust too much on floor plans and renderings.

But I guess we'll have to wait and see, and hope for the best. Anyway, we're looking forward to cruise on these beautiful vessels.[/quote']

 

Cote d'or: Take a look at the 360 degree virtual tour of Blu: http://celebritysolstice.com/#/dining/specialty/blu/ and you'll see the number of two-person tables there are. Granted it is only a rendering but it also conforms to the brochure's deck plan of the restaurant.

 

I think they also need to keep the seating as flexible as possible given the restaurant will be open to the other cabins on a space-available basis and at a surcharge.

[BEAV]

We've got an AQ cabin booked on Equinox 10/23/09, so I've been doing some research and think I can provide a few clarifications and confirmation.

 

All AQ pax will have their dinner seating assignment in Blu, NOT in the main dining room. You will not have assigned seating in the main dining room at all. You can dine in the main dining room if you want, provided there is space available.

 

There will be two seatings in Blu. Non AQ pax can dine in Blu for an additional fee (I was also told $30) if there is space available, and they make reservations.

 

Blu will NOT be serving the main dining room's menu. It has its own menu that includes both "healthy" and "indulgent" fare. It will NOT be "healthy" cuisine like the Aquaspa Cafe, but it will focus on "fresh" ingredients and use reduction sauces rather than cream sauces. But you will find things like herb-encrusted rack-of-lamb, and indulgent chocolate desserts.

 

Blu IS considered a specialty restaurant, and as such I think we can confidently expect that the food will be markedly better than the main dining room. It will be more cooked-to-order, and prepared in a dedicated kitchen (or so I'm told).

 

Further, being Concierge Class, you get priority reservations to the other specialty restaurants, so you don't have to eat a single dinner in the main dining room.

 

While there are lots of other selling points to the AQ cabins, I think this is among the top reasons to go AQ. I've read too many negative reports on the food in Celebrity's main dining room - and just being realistic, you can't expect to get a sublime dining experience when thousands of the same meals are being mass-produced. I really do believe that Blu will offer us the same level of specialty-restaurant dining experience for which Celebrity is famous. :)

 

Can't wait to find out if this is true!

 

Thanks for the info, and especially clarifying the main dining room menu won't be offered in Blu. The "traditional fare" I was reading about Blu really had me wondering (and confused!). Does anyone know if BLU will be located far enough from the main dining room to ensure it will have it's own separate galley? And I assume since BLU will be the assigned restaurant for Aqua Class that the menu will change nightly?

 

I've looked at a number of sailings where the price differential between C1 and Aqua Class is realitively minor ($100 or less). So it would seem Aqua Class would be the "price performer" when you factor in a "free" dinner every night worth $30. And having said that, I wonder if Celebrity will have a difficult time selling Concierge Class aboard these ships. The general rule of thumb is that the lowest (inside) cabins and upper suites are always the first to sell on most sailings, while everything in the middle sells later. When you apply that theory to balcony cabins, there's quite a spread price-wise between 2C and Aqua Class, with Concierge category falling in the middle. I wouldn't be surprised to see price reductions closer to sailng on Concierge Class or even Happy Hour sales (or whatever they call it now) 4-6 weeks before departure if the majority of passengers have opted for either a cheap balcony (2C) or Aqua class.

 

In addition to Murano, can we expect Silk Harvest and Tuscan Grille will also be extra-fare venues?

[Leejnd4]

Thanks for the info, and especially clarifying the main dining room menu won't be offered in Blu. The "traditional fare" I was reading about Blu really had me wondering (and confused!). Does anyone know if BLU will be located far enough from the main dining room to ensure it will have it's own separate galley? And I assume since BLU will be the assigned restaurant for Aqua Class that the menu will change nightly?

 

I've looked at a number of sailings where the price differential between C1 and Aqua Class is realitively minor ($100 or less). So it would seem Aqua Class would be the "price performer" when you factor in a "free" dinner every night worth $30. And having said that, I wonder if Celebrity will have a difficult time selling Concierge Class aboard these ships. The general rule of thumb is that the lowest (inside) cabins and upper suites are always the first to sell on most sailings, while everything in the middle sells later. When you apply that theory to balcony cabins, there's quite a spread price-wise between 2C and Aqua Class, with Concierge category falling in the middle. I wouldn't be surprised to see price reductions closer to sailng on Concierge Class or even Happy Hour sales (or whatever they call it now) 4-6 weeks before departure if the majority of passengers have opted for either a cheap balcony (2C) or Aqua class.

 

In addition to Murano, can we expect Silk Harvest and Tuscan Grille will also be extra-fare venues?

 

Yes, Murano, Silk Harvest, and Tuscan Grille are all specialty restaurants with an extra charge. I expect they'll probably be in the $30 range as well.

 

Yes, Blu's menu is supposed to change every night. In that regard it is different from the other specialty restaurants.

 

As for location, all four of the specialty restaurants, including Blu, are located aft on the Entertainment Deck. Perhaps that means they all four share a galley? If so, then I would imagine that means it's a galley designed specifically for the specialty restaurants, so that gives me even more confidence that the dining experience in Blu will be comparable to their other specialty restaurants, rather than the main dining room.

 

With regards to AQ cabin pricing, many of them are located directly below the pool, which is considered a sub-optimal location due to noise overhead. Some people have opined that the whole AQ concept is a way to sell off those less-desirable cabins for a premium, that otherwise would be hard to sell. This could play into the lower cost of them...or, perhaps it's just that it's a new concept that needs to take hold, and once the Solstice Class ships become more well-known, the AQ cabin prices will increase.

 

The pool overhead thing doesn't bother me - I sleep with earplugs whenever I travel, so it takes a lotta noise to wake me up. And I don't anticipate spending that much time in my room during the day, so any overhead noise problems probably won't affect me.

[rolfecms]

Thanks for the info, and especially clarifying the main dining room menu won't be offered in Blu. The "traditional fare" I was reading about Blu really had me wondering (and confused!). Does anyone know if BLU will be located far enough from the main dining room to ensure it will have it's own separate galley? And I assume since BLU will be the assigned restaurant for Aqua Class that the menu will change nightly?

 

I've looked at a number of sailings where the price differential between C1 and Aqua Class is realitively minor ($100 or less). So it would seem Aqua Class would be the "price performer" when you factor in a "free" dinner every night worth $30. And having said that, I wonder if Celebrity will have a difficult time selling Concierge Class aboard these ships. The general rule of thumb is that the lowest (inside) cabins and upper suites are always the first to sell on most sailings, while everything in the middle sells later. When you apply that theory to balcony cabins, there's quite a spread price-wise between 2C and Aqua Class, with Concierge category falling in the middle. I wouldn't be surprised to see price reductions closer to sailng on Concierge Class or even Happy Hour sales (or whatever they call it now) 4-6 weeks before departure if the majority of passengers have opted for either a cheap balcony (2C) or Aqua class.

 

In addition to Murano, can we expect Silk Harvest and Tuscan Grille will also be extra-fare venues?

 

IMHO I believe that until people understand and appreciate what AQ class offers, the price difference between AQ and CC will be less than what Celebrity would prefer. You can bet that if demand for AQ improves after that, they will surely increase the price spread between the two. Since AQ class is new I would imagine that the cruiseline will do studies and tweak it to position it correctly for maximum profit.

 

I'm so thankful we were able to book AQ class on the 11/30 Solstice sailing - we may look back fondly as this may be the only time that AQ prices were this low.

[Cote d'or]

Cote d'or: Take a look at the 360 degree virtual tour of Blu: http://celebritysolstice.com/#/dining/specialty/blu/ and you'll see the number of two-person tables there are. Granted it is only a rendering but it also conforms to the brochure's deck plan of the restaurant.

 

I think they also need to keep the seating as flexible as possible given the restaurant will be open to the other cabins on a space-available basis and at a surcharge.

 

It seems there's enough space left to change the setting of the tables in an instant. Looking good !

[Cote d'or]

You just need to be picky about which cabins you pick. We were under the cabins towards the aft but moved up under the Acupuncture at sea rooms. We like being real close to the gym, Aqua spa cafe and the Solarium. Pretty close to the same cabin we usually get on an M class ship.

 

Looked at the hump cabins and the angled cabins, but as you say, I'm would be real hesitant to book under the pool.

 

Some people don't like the overhang either but it is a draw for me. Love to sit out there in the shade. We live in S Florida so we usually try to stay out of the sun :) It's also great if there is rain. The downside, no stars overhead.

 

enjoy,

Duane

 

Same thoughts here. We booked an AC cabin under the acupuncture area : quiet, close to the relaxation room, aquaspa/Persian gardens, solarium and Aqua spa cafe. There's no overhang and when you look down you see the sea, not the lifeboats.

[Muushka]

We are sort of torn on cabin selection. While the cabins towards the aft have the advantage of cabins above and no overhang, the ones forward that have either the acupuncture or hair salon above look nice to us because it is closer to the relaxation lounge and being in a corridor that will be virtually child free. For that reason, we are thinking about cabin 1542 or 1537. We were trying to figure out the humps, but gave up!

 

Same thoughts here. We booked an AC cabin under the acupuncture area : quiet' date=' close to the relaxation room, aquaspa/Persian gardens, solarium and Aqua spa cafe. There's no overhang and when you look down you see the sea, not the lifeboats.[/quote']

 

Just what I wanted to see. We are booking today and was not sure. Thanks!;)

[Cote d'or]

Just what I wanted to see. We are booking today and was not sure. Thanks!;)

 

It's crazy, these ships aren't even finished yet, and we already have our favorite cabins.:D

[Muushka]

It's crazy' date=' these ships aren't even finished yet, and we already have our favorite cabins.:D[/quote']

 

Sure do. Just booked 1537! ;) We always cruise starboard, but this past Dec our cabin was in the sun so much of the daylight hours that I figured port might be a nice change.:D

[Cote d'or]

Sure do. Just booked 1537!

 

Right beneath the acupuncture room. Excellent choice !;) It should be a quiet place. Now just let's hope the acupuncturist has a steady hand... :D

[Duanerice1]

Sure do. Just booked 1537! ;) We always cruise starboard, but this past Dec our cabin was in the sun so much of the daylight hours that I figured port might be a nice change.:D

 

Good choice! We are in 1535 :)

[Muushka]

1535 was our other first choice. 12/13/09?

That is when we are sailng.

[Duanerice1]

Nope 11/30/08

[WAVTAM]

Back to the original question. We're on b2b with Solstice. Have a nice 1A hump cabin. The price difference for AQ class is $400 dollars more. Aside from the Blu, if we elected to purchase the Persian Gardens for the week, that cost would be.......??????? WAVTAM