New Aqua Class Flyer

[Lvteks]

Does Aqua dining room, Blu, keep the same dress code schedule as the MDR?

Thanks,

 

Blessings,

 

Gail

[dmk]

Having exclusive use of the intimate Blu restaurant is one of the highlights of an Aqua class cabin, so I am at a total loss to understand your comment. Perhaps you don't realize that you'll receive much more personal service at the 130-seat Blu than you will in the main dining room (Grand Epernay) that will seat 1,200+ passengers. [/color]

 

I don't necessarily think the service will be more personal. You are correct it is a smaller dining room but nothing so far has been stated that the number of tables per waiter is any different than in Grand Epernay with 1200+passengers.

[rolfecms]

I don't necessarily think the service will be more personal. You are correct it is a smaller dining room but nothing so far has been stated that the number of tables per waiter is any different than in Grand Epernay with 1200+passengers.

 

I'm basing this on the standard of service associated with =X='s other venues they have termed 'specialty' restaurants. What you say is true, but then again =X= has not indicated the number of waiters per table in any of the Solstice's specialty restaurants.

[rolfecms]

Does Aqua dining room, Blu, keep the same dress code schedule as the MDR?

 

Yes, Blu will follow the same schedule. I recall there was some Yahoo blogger who said Blu would follow a casual dress code, which has caused some confusion.

[jwattle]

Us, too! In fact, dining in Blu each evening is the only way I was able to convince DH that it was worth it for us to upgrade from a regular balcony cabin to an Aqua Class cabin!:D

And the Persian Gardens (should be the Purrrrrrrrrsian Gardens for me! :p )

[Leejnd4]

Count me in with the folks who see AquaClass as a MAJOR benefit, for a minimal price. To me, one of the major draws is the dining in Blu. Keep in mind that Celebrity is well-known for having some of the best specialty restaurants at sea, even as it's been widely recognized that the food quality in their main dining rooms has declined in recent years. Given that Blu is considered a specialty restaurant, one that charges $30 to dine there if you are not AC, I think it's reasonable to assume that the dining will be a step up from the MDR.

 

I also do not anticipate that there will be all that much hassle to dine in the MDR on any night you want to. Remember that there is an assigned seat in there for every single non-AC passenger - and there will always be people dining in any of several specialty restaurants and casual dining options onboard. I would venture to guess that there would probably be enough open space in the MDR to accommodate every AC pax if they wanted to eat there - which, of course, won't happen. So I would be highly surprised if any AC pax were EVER denied seating in the MDR.

 

Regarding the "clean cuisine", this is one of those things we're going to have to see how it plays out once these ships are at sea. I called Celebrity and was told that it's NOT "health food" or low-cal or low-fat by any means - but that it's cuisine that is designed to move away from heavy cream sauces and rich ingredients, and focusing more on reduction sauces, herbs and spices, and full flavor. They will offer healthy options on the menu, as well as menu items that are "indulgent in a clean, flavorful style". That sounds good to me - when I'm on vacation I am not looking to diet or watch my calories, I'm looking to indulge and enjoy!

[dmk]

I'm basing this on the standard of service associated with =X='s other venues they have termed 'specialty' restaurants. What you say is true, but then again =X= has not indicated the number of waiters per table in any of the Solstice's specialty restaurants.

 

Your correct in that Celebrity hasn't indicated the number of waiters per table. The Specialty restaurants on the other X ships offer "butterfly service". So if you are a table of 8, 8 waiters are placed one behind each guest to place the dishes in front of each guest at the same time...perfect synchronization. Is this what you visualize for Blu?

 

even as it's been widely recognized that the food quality in their main dining rooms has declined in recent years. Given that Blu is considered a specialty restaurant, one that charges $30 to dine there if you are not AC, I think it's reasonable to assume that the dining will be a step up from the MDR.

 

Is it your personal experience that the food quality in the Main Dining Room has declined? I haven't found it so.

I wasn't aware that one could pay $30 to eat at Blu. I thought it was strictly for AC guests and some rumours that Suite guests may also eat in Blu if there is availability. Would this mean that suite guests would also pay this $30?

[Leejnd4]

Is it your personal experience that the food quality in the Main Dining Room has declined? I haven't found it so.

I wasn't aware that one could pay $30 to eat at Blu. I thought it was strictly for AC guests and some rumours that Suite guests may also eat in Blu if there is availability. Would this mean that suite guests would also pay this $30?

 

Yes, non AC pax can pay $30 to dine in Blu, just like in the other specialty restaurants. Any non-AC pax, including those in suites, will have to pay the $30 to dine in Blu. Reservations will be based on availability - I'm assuming based on the dining plans of the AC pax.

 

I'm very curious to learn how they are going to manage all of this - it's way more complicated than they've had to deal with in the past, and would seem to require that all pax let management know what their dining plans are each evening. Otherwise, how are they going to know when there's space available in the MDR for AC pax, or space in Blu for non-AC pax? It'll be interesting to see!

 

My comment about the decline of food quality on Celebrity ships is based on the many reviews and posts that I've read over the years. I haven't been on a Celebrity ship in few years myself, so I can't state this from personal experience, just from the evidence presented by others. I will say that the dining on my last Celebrity cruise (Mercury to Alaska) was adequate - not nearly as good as Regent, but better than RCI. However, everything that I've read (and heard directly from cruising friends) about the specialty restaurants on Celebrity indicate that they are AT LEAST on a par with the dining on Regent, if not better. That is what I'm banking on.

 

But I guess we won't know if I'm right until we get reports from the first cruises. I'll be waiting with bated breath!

[rolfecms]

Your correct in that Celebrity hasn't indicated the number of waiters per table. The Specialty restaurants on the other X ships offer "butterfly service". So if you are a table of 8, 8 waiters are placed one behind each guest to place the dishes in front of each guest at the same time...perfect synchronization. Is this what you visualize for Blu?

 

My belief is that service in Blu will be somewhere between the MDR and the specialty restaurants on the M-class ships. Since there will be multiple 'specialty' restaurants on the S-class ships, I believe that there will be multiple levels of service (and cost) - with Murano being the top level and equivalent to the M-class. The others will fall somewhere in between the MDR and Murano. While I don't know what service level Blu will be, I don't reckon it will include butterfly service - it may only be used in Murano - and I'm not expecting it.

 

If you look at the deck plans or view the 3-D rendering on the web, there is more space between the tables in Blu than in the MDR. That additional spacing allows for, and indeed is a requirement for, the level of service that =X= has become known for in it's specialty class restaurants.

[rolfecms]

Yes, non AC pax can pay $30 to dine in Blu, just like in the other specialty restaurants. Any non-AC pax, including those in suites, will have to pay the $30 to dine in Blu. Reservations will be based on availability - I'm assuming based on the dining plans of the AC pax.

 

Host Anne reported after the July 8 Solstice preview party in Miami that the policy on access to Blu had changed from what =X= originally said in their brochures. She said that Blu will not be open to non-Aqua class pax. There is still an open question as to whether suite pax will have access on a space available basis and if there will be surcharge.

[Leejnd4]

Host Anne reported after the July 8 Solstice preview party in Miami that the policy on access to Blu had changed from what =X= originally said in their brochures. She said that Blu will not be open to non-Aqua class pax. There is still an open question as to whether suite pax will have access on a space available basis and if there will be surcharge.

 

Yikes! I missed that! And I try to stay abreast of what's going on with Solstice and Equinox.

 

In that case, I apologize to dmk for posting inaccurate info, and thanks to rolfcms for setting me straight!

[dmk]

If you look at the deck plans or view the 3-D rendering on the web, there is more space between the tables in Blu than in the MDR. That additional spacing allows for, and indeed is a requirement for, the level of service that =X= has become known for in it's specialty class restaurants.

 

After reading your post, I went onto the X web site and looked at the 3-D renderings.I have to be absolutely honest. All I see are larger tables of 8 and 10 in the MDR and tables of 4 and 6 in Blu. The deck plans were not helpful. These are just drawings. Nonetheless, If you will be dining in Blu I hope it is everything you hope it to be.

[Duanerice1]

I do not expect Blu to be nearly as nice as the Specialty restaurants on the the M class ships. It is going to be a bit more intimate than the MDR, a little different menu and maybe a little better service, but that's all I'm expecting. If we think it will be like the other specialty restaurants than I think we'll be a bit disappointed.

[ryndam]

We concur with many of the previous posts. We are generally not interested in sailing on ships this large. One of the main reasons for booking the AC room was dining in Blu. For the 12/7/08 sailing, it was an insignificant premium over other balcony rooms.

[Schplinky]

One of the reasons we expect that Blu is gong to be better than the main room is that the food is actually closer to where it's being prepared. Sure, the MDR is right next to its own galley but waiters will have a lot of walking to do to bring the food to the most distanc tables and if they get something wrong, a longer walk to fix it. With Blu, the Galley will be a short walk through a non-chaotic room. I think it will be great.

[madelinerose]

With Blu, the Galley will be a short walk through a non-chaotic room. I think it will be great.

 

I agree 100%. We usually find the main dining room to be somewhat chaotic and noisy, although I do think the Solstice mdr is gorgeous! ;)

[Friscorays]

We are generally not interested in sailing on ships this large.

 

True for me as well. When I initially heard how many passengers the Solstice would accomodate, I crossed it off of my list of ships to consider. When I later learned about the Aquaclass option (and in particular the Blu dining room) in combination with the relatively small price premium, I jumped on the opportunity.

[AJD]

We are booked Aqua on the Equinox and the big question about Blue that I haven't seen answered is:

Will the food be, for the most part, cooked to order, which is a major distinguishing feature of the current spatiality restaurants, or on spec like the main restaurants?

[rolfecms]

After reading your post, I went onto the X web site and looked at the 3-D renderings.I have to be absolutely honest. All I see are larger tables of 8 and 10 in the MDR and tables of 4 and 6 in Blu. The deck plans were not helpful. These are just drawings. Nonetheless, If you will be dining in Blu I hope it is everything you hope it to be.

 

I agree that floor plans are just drawings and could change. Even so, I believe that both the size of the room as well as the number of seats in Blu reflects what will be reality. Based on the brochure deck plan this is my count of the table sizes in Blu:

• 47 tables for 2 (94 pax)
  
• 6 tables for 4 (24)
  
• 2 tables for 6 (12)

That's a total of 130 seats, which is the number of pax that =X= says Blu will accommodate. While some may think otherwise, I also believe there is more space between the tables in Blu than the MDR and the 3-D rendering accurately depicts the floor plan from my review of both.

 

We all know that everything is subject to change until the ship opens for business. At this point I'm not expecting the level of service we've come to expect from the M-class ships as I mentioned in a previous post. But based on the following things it will be at least a step above the MDR:

• Fewer and smaller-size tables
  
• More intimate and quiet venue
  
• No children (AQ cabins are for two pax only)
  
• More space between tables
  
• More made-to-order food

While we don't know at this point what the waitstaff-to-pax ratio will be, even if it is not be much different than the MDR, these other factors will IMO certainly make for a better dining environment.

 

For those who might be put off by the larger size of the S-class ships, it seems that Blu, along with the relaxation lounge and the adults-only solarium will make for an attractive option that is not available on other cruiselines at the price point =X= is currently charging for Aqua class.

[Leejnd4]

True for me as well. When I initially heard how many passengers the Solstice would accomodate, I crossed it off of my list of ships to consider. When I later learned about the Aquaclass option (and in particular the Blu dining room) in combination with the relatively small price premium, I jumped on the opportunity.

Add me in that camp as well! I usually prefer smaller ships, but AC, and the fact that it was such a small premium over regular balconies, and the Blu concept, sold me too. I hope X is reading this stuff - they can get a nice snapshot of what is selling these cabins to folks who normally wouldn't cruise a ship like this.

 

We are booked Aqua on the Equinox and the big question about Blue that I haven't seen answered is:

Will the food be, for the most part, cooked to order, which is a major distinguishing feature of the current spatiality restaurants, or on spec like the main restaurants?

Well, I don't know if anyone will be able to answer that question until we start getting the reviews back - but I too would like to know. Purely speculating, however -- I tend to believe that they WILL be cooked to order, primarily because Blu is located right next to two other specialty restaurants (Tuscan Grille & Silk Harvest), aft on the Entertainment Deck. Consequently, it would make sense that they would share the kitchen with the specialty restaurants, rather than the MDR, which is two decks below it. That's my theory anyway!

 

I recognize that my hopes for Blu may not be completely born out - but it can't be WORSE than the MDR, and it's a valid gamble. Also, I got enough OBC from my TA to cover half of our nights in the other specialty restaurants, so I'll only be eating half my meals in Blu anyway. :)

[Giorgi-one]

We are booked Aqua on the Equinox and the big question about Blue that I haven't seen answered is:

Will the food be, for the most part, cooked to order, which is a major distinguishing feature of the current spatiality restaurants, or on spec like the main restaurants?

 

I doubt that they could operate a restaurant this small like a main DR - just not enought people to use statistics on how many of each meal will be ordered.

[Leejnd4]

I doubt that they could operate a restaurant this small like a main DR - just not enought people to use statistics on how many of each meal will be ordered.

 

Good point! My hopes remain high. :)

[Muushka]

Speaking of AC and no kiddos, I got to wondering. So I just tried to book AC as an adult and a child under the age of 12 and it worked. So my question is this: Do we just think this will be adult only because of the 2 per cabin rule or is this a fact?:confused:

 

PS it is fun thinking about this beautiful new ship, isn't it!;)

[Leejnd4]

Speaking of AC and no kiddos, I got to wondering. So I just tried to book AC as an adult and a child under the age of 12 and it worked. So my question is this: Do we just think this will be adult only because of the 2 per cabin rule or is this a fact?:confused:

 

PS it is fun thinking about this beautiful new ship, isn't it!;)

 

You are correct - there is no actual age restriction in AC. The theory is that by not allowing more than 2 per cabin, the likelihood of families booking these cabins is lower, because most families have their kids in the cabin with them. However, it's entirely possible you WILL find families. We have two kids - we could easily have booked a second AC cabin for our kids. (Don't worry - they're not coming with us on this cruise!) :p

[AJD]

I sincerely hope the optimists are right on cook to order, but for the moment I remain skeptical! At least that way I wont be disappointed!

 

John.