Blu/AquaClass

[Leejnd4]

As for Solstice information, =X='s S-class brochure and web site provided initial information. Then, =X= hosted a 'Solstice Preview Party' in Miami on July 8 to which a number of CruiseCritic members were invited. At that open house =X= provided lots of new information along with a number of clarifications about Aqua Class. Host Anne, one of the attendees, was kind enough to disseminate the info on this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=805402

 

In addition sample menus for all of the Solstice restaurants, along with photos of the preview event can be found here: http://www.thepreismans.com/ - click on Solstice tab. :)

 

WOW!!! I had not seen that website before, with the photos etc. from the Solstice preview. I'm THRILLED to see that menu from Blu! If this really is how it's going to be, then all my worries about the "clean" food being too "healthy" are resolved. Hey, I like the concept of using fresh ingredients, and reductions sauces instead of cream sauces and all that, but I admit I was a bit worried that the food might be TOO clean - meaning, too much focused on caloried and fat reduction, to the exclusion of richness and decadence (which, hey, I WANT on my vacation, doncha know). ;)

 

But after looking at that menu, I am literally drooling. All I can say is...WOW! I hope it's all as good as it sounds!

 

Thank you so much for posting that.

[Albert Ross]

Dining in Blu will be complimentary and guaranteed for all AquaClass guests. However, if there is space available, Suite guests will be able to dine in Blu at no additional charge (except for a recommended $5/guest gratuity)

[Albert Ross]

Blu is open for dinner, and a continental breakfast for Suite and AquaClass guests (Lunch is not served in Blu).

Blu is open seating.

[Leejnd4]

Blu is open for dinner, and a continental breakfast for Suite and AquaClass guests (Lunch is not served in Blu).

Blu is open seating.

 

Really? That's the first I've heard that it's open seating. Can you tell me where you heard this? And does this mean that there won't be "early" and "late" seating, or does it mean that you still have set dining times, but not set seats?

 

I have a hard time believing it'll be open seating, when there's only 130 seats in Blu, but up to 260 pax in AQ.

[elena7seas]

Blu is open for dinner, and a continental breakfast for Suite and AquaClass guests (Lunch is not served in Blu).

Blu is open seating.

 

I was told by our Celebrity rep that there are two seatings for dinner in Blu, as in the main dining room.

 

We have an AQ reservation on the Solstice (Eastern Med) and are reserved for second seating.

[Host Anne]

Folks ~ as with any new product (and Solstice and Blu are new products), I think you will find adjustments from time to time, depending on how things work once implemented.

 

From the preview in July, we were informed a change had been made and Blu would NOT be available for general reservations like the other specialty restaurants. We were told Blu would be exclusively for AC passengers and then suite guests based on availability.

 

We were also told Blu would have a main and late seating, just like the main restaurant. In other words, it would not be open seating. I haven't heard anything else since then from Celebrity indicating changes.

 

One of the huge problems with making changes is trying to get it updated everywhere it might appear (print promotions, website listings in various places, etc). I know it seems like it should be an easy thing to update everything at once but it's not as easy and as quick as you might think.

 

I think there is always a possibility that rules for Blu could change once the ship begins sailing and they have a better understanding of its operation.

 

We'll just have to wait and see what happens after Solstice launches.

[Leejnd4]

Folks ~ as with any new product (and Solstice and Blu are new products), I think you will find adjustments from time to time, depending on how things work once implemented.

 

From the preview in July, we were informed a change had been made and Blu would NOT be available for general reservations like the other specialty restaurants. We were told Blu would be exclusively for AC passengers and then suite guests based on availability.

 

We were also told Blu would have a main and late seating, just like the main restaurant. In other words, it would not be open seating. I haven't heard anything else since then from Celebrity indicating changes.

 

One of the huge problems with making changes is trying to get it updated everywhere it might appear (print promotions, website listings in various places, etc). I know it seems like it should be an easy thing to update everything at once but it's not as easy and as quick as you might think.

 

I think there is always a possibility that rules for Blu could change once the ship begins sailing and they have a better understanding of its operation.

 

We'll just have to wait and see what happens after Solstice launches.

 

Host Anne, thanks for clarifying. I hadn't heard of any "official" changes since the July preview, and until I do, I'm going to assume that what you learned there is how it will be. But I'm sure some things will change once they see how it works.

 

Thanks for always working to keep us up-to-date on Solstice! As for me, now that I've seen the Blu sample menu, I'm a happy cruiser and can't WAIT to try it all. :)

[jwattle]

All that I can say so far about Blu is "YUM!":D

[ccod]

Thanks to all of you who provided me with all this great info. My wife and I feel so much more comfortable with our decision to book AQ Class.

[Albert Ross]

I was told by our Celebrity rep that there are two seatings for dinner in Blu, as in the main dining room.

 

We have an AQ reservation on the Solstice (Eastern Med) and are reserved for second seating.

Afraid your rep had not read the info on their inhouse system......:

(this was copied and sent to me)

 

Blu is the assigned dining room for all AquaClass guests, whereas all other guests will have their assigned dining in the main dining room. Blu is open for dinner, and a continental breakfast for Suite and AquaClass guests (Lunch is not served in Blu).

 

Although AquaClass guests will be assigned to either main or second seating, Blu will feature open dining, and therefore guests will not be assigned to specific tables.

 

Dining in Blu will be complimentary and guaranteed for all AquaClass guests. However, if there is space available, Suite guests will be able to dine in Blu at no additional charge (except for a recommended $5/guest gratuity)

 

If AquaClass guests would like to be seated in the main dining room, they cannot make these arrangements pre-cruise -- they must be made onboard with the maitre'd[/size][/font]

[megessey]

So one way to look at this amenity is, you'd be saving $460 for 2 if you were in a lower stateroom and wanted to eat in a specialty restaurant every night.

 

I think I just found justification to go for the Aquaclass! :D

[Leejnd4]

Afraid your rep had not read the info on their inhouse system......:

(this was copied and sent to me)

 

Blu is the assigned dining room for all AquaClass guests, whereas all other guests will have their assigned dining in the main dining room. Blu is open for dinner, and a continental breakfast for Suite and AquaClass guests (Lunch is not served in Blu).

 

Although AquaClass guests will be assigned to either main or second seating, Blu will feature open dining, and therefore guests will not be assigned to specific tables.

 

Dining in Blu will be complimentary and guaranteed for all AquaClass guests. However, if there is space available, Suite guests will be able to dine in Blu at no additional charge (except for a recommended $5/guest gratuity)

 

If AquaClass guests would like to be seated in the main dining room, they cannot make these arrangements pre-cruise -- they must be made onboard with the maitre'd[/size][/font]

 

Albert, can you tell me where that came from? It doesn't look familiar to anything else I've read on Blu, either on the website, or in one of the brochures. Did this come directly from Celebrity, and if so, where can I find it?

 

While most of this agrees with the latest information I've heard about Blu, the one startling difference is the "open table" thing - this is the first I'm hearing of this. I actually like this quite a bit - that's one of the things I enjoy the most about Regent cruises is being able to sit with whomever I want, or just asking to be seated at a large table and meeting new people, rather than being forced to dine with the same people every night. If this is true, this would be yet another fabulous perk of AQ - no more assigned tablemates! :D

 

This is something that I would think Celebrity would want to tout - it's something that brings the AQ experience that much closer to the luxury cruise experience, and eliminates one of the things that luxury cruisers frequently cite as a reason for avoiding mass-market lines like Celebrity, that pre-assign tablemates.

[CaroleLee]

Albert, can you tell me where that came from? It doesn't look familiar to anything else I've read on Blu, either on the website, or in one of the brochures. Did this come directly from Celebrity, and if so, where can I find it?

 

While most of this agrees with the latest information I've heard about Blu, the one startling difference is the "open table" thing - this is the first I'm hearing of this. I actually like this quite a bit - that's one of the things I enjoy the most about Regent cruises is being able to sit with whomever I want, or just asking to be seated at a large table and meeting new people, rather than being forced to dine with the same people every night. If this is true, this would be yet another fabulous perk of AQ - no more assigned tablemates! :D

 

This is something that I would think Celebrity would want to tout - it's something that brings the AQ experience that much closer to the luxury cruise experience, and eliminates one of the things that luxury cruisers frequently cite as a reason for avoiding mass-market lines like Celebrity, that pre-assign tablemates.

 

Albert,

You seem to have the inside track on a great deal of information. Where is this coming from? I keep checking the Celebrity site and you seem to be more current than the site. What other insider info can you share with us?

[cherylandtk]

Although AquaClass guests will be assigned to either main or second seating, Blu will feature open dining, and therefore guests will not be assigned to specific tables.

I find this sentence to be confusing. I think it means that AC guests will be assigned a time but not a table; that you show up at a specific time and are seated in different places each night. Does anyone else have a differing opinion on what it means? I know we could call and ask, but there has been so much confusion on Blu already that I suspect the answers would be just as varied as our opinions.

 

In looking at the artist rendering 360 view of Blu it does appear that the layout is all two tops but in some places they are set up close together to make larger seating areas of 4 or 6, but those could also be spread apart to make more intimate dining. And the entire concept of Blu could be revised after a few months if the actuality does not match the intention. It has happened before.

[Albert Ross]

Albert,

You seem to have the inside track on a great deal of information. Where is this coming from? I keep checking the Celebrity site and you seem to be more current than the site. What other insider info can you share with us?

I have a good friend who works there, they sometimes send me info from their internal database - this is copied word for word from it.

[elena7seas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elena7seas

 

I was told by our Celebrity rep that there are two seatings for dinner in Blu, as in the main dining room.

 

We have an AQ reservation on the Solstice (Eastern Med) and are reserved for second seating.

 

 

 

Afraid your rep had not read the info on their inhouse system......:

(this was copied and sent to me)

 

Blu is the assigned dining room for all AquaClass guests, whereas all other guests will have their assigned dining in the main dining room. Blu is open for dinner, and a continental breakfast for Suite and AquaClass guests (Lunch is not served in Blu).

 

Although AquaClass guests will be assigned to either main or second seating, Blu will feature open dining, and therefore guests will not be assigned to specific tables.

 

Dining in Blu will be complimentary and guaranteed for all AquaClass guests. However, if there is space available, Suite guests will be able to dine in Blu at no additional charge (except for a recommended $5/guest gratuity)

 

If AquaClass guests would like to be seated in the main dining room, they cannot make these arrangements pre-cruise -- they must be made onboard with the maitre'd[/size][/font]

 

Nothing that I wrote disagrees with your post that replies to mine. I was simply saying that I had been informed that there ARE two seatings for dinner in Blu, and that my reservation indicates that we are assigned to late seating. I was not commenting at all on whether there would be assigned tables or not, as I had not received any information on that subject.

[Albert Ross]

No need to get ansty - I am only trying to help....

 

From what I understand of the booking system used you have to either put people onto main or 2nd dining -even for ships where there is open dining like Azamara or the Xpedition, or on some of the RCI ships where they are trailling MyTime dining; so even though your booking documents may 'say' you are on 2nd, it is in fact open.

 

Now how I read the info I was sent it is total Open dining and not 2 seatings at dinner.

However, others are reading it as; there are still the 2 seatings but no assigned tables.

It can be read either way....

Guess we won't officially know until she sails!

[rolfecms]

However, others are reading it as; there are still the 2 seatings but no assigned tables. Guess we won't officially know until she sails!

 

I wonder if this would mean that if you are in the first seating you could show up anytime between the start of the first seating and the start of the second seating? It would help with crowd control and prevent everyone waiting for a table at the same time when there are 130 tables for 260 AQ pax. Kind of a hybrid between assigned and anytime dining.

[Leejnd4]

I wonder if this would mean that if you are in the first seating you could show up anytime between the start of the first seating and the start of the second seating? It would help with crowd control and prevent everyone waiting for a table at the same time when there are 130 tables for 260 AQ pax. Kind of a hybrid between assigned and anytime dining.

 

This would be great as well. I have no problem having a specified time for dining - I just have never liked the "forced" tablemate thing. Not that I haven't met a number of perfectly nice people as tablemates - but I have also had some pretty...um...odd matchings that did detract from our enjoyment of our dinner. (Yes I know we can ask to change, but that introduces a whole other level of headache. I've only felt it absolutely necessary to do this once.) I MUCH prefer the option of choosing to dine with people we might meet on excursions, or in our roll-call thread - or even being able to ask to sit at a large table and meet new people each night. This is one of the things I've enjoyed the most on my Regent and Windstar cruises.

 

I would LOVE it if Blu was entirely open-seating...but I would also be fine with two seating times.

[hajekfam]

I find this sentence to be confusing. I think it means that AC guests will be assigned a time but not a table; that you show up at a specific time and are seated in different places each night. Does anyone else have a differing opinion on what it means? I know we could call and ask, but there has been so much confusion on Blu already that I suspect the answers would be just as varied as our opinions.

 

I think that you are right - when a Celebrity ship overnights in a port or leaves very late on embarkation night, they have assigned dining times, but open seating. You go at your assigned time, but are seated at an available table.

[uktog]

I think that you are right - when a Celebrity ship overnights in a port or leaves very late on embarkation night, they have assigned dining times, but open seating. You go at your assigned time, but are seated at an available table.

 

For us this kind of arrangement is even less preferable - we have had our worst dining experiences this way. You feel ackward saying "No I do not want to eat with the next couple in the line" and then spend the rest of the meal wishing you had done.

Dont flame me I know for some this arrangement works very well - it just does not for us - we also do not want to eat on our own - just at a table for 8 with some new friends matched to us by X

 

A

[rolfecms]

I MUCH prefer the option of choosing to dine with people we might meet on excursions, or in our roll-call thread - or even being able to ask to sit at a large table and meet new people each night. This is one of the things I've enjoyed the most on my Regent and Windstar cruises. I would LOVE it if Blu was entirely open-seating...but I would also be fine with two seating times.

 

In your experience, how does not having an assigned table impact the level of service you have received, given the fact you probably didn't have the same waiter at each meal? For me one of the aspects of assigned seating that I enjoy is having the same people wait on you and the benefits that accrue from that acquaintance - such as remembering your preferences or having your favorite drink waiting for you when you sit down.

[seasearider]

We booked Solstice thinking we would have assigned dining, which we thought included a table. Hopefully, Blu has enough two seaters to accommodate those who want to eat as a couple.

[rolfecms]

We booked Solstice thinking we would have assigned dining, which we thought included a table. Hopefully, Blu has enough two seaters to accommodate those who want to eat as a couple.

 

Given the caveat that deck plans are just drawings and could change, I still 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 exactly 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 web site rendering (http://celebritysolstice.com/#/dining/specialty/blu/) accurately depicts the floor plan from my review of both.

[Leejnd4]

In your experience, how does not having an assigned table impact the level of service you have received, given the fact you probably didn't have the same waiter at each meal? For me one of the aspects of assigned seating that I enjoy is having the same people wait on you and the benefits that accrue from that acquaintance - such as remembering your preferences or having your favorite drink waiting for you when you sit down.

 

I've been on several cruises that had open seating, on Regent and Windstar. While we didn't have the same TYPE of service experience as on Celebrity, the service was no less enjoyable. The difference was that we didn't always have the same waiter who made an effort to get to know us, entertain us, and become very familiar with us - but that doesn't mean we didn't get fantastic service. In fact, my experiences with traditional-seating waiters have not always been optimal. I’ve had waiters who got, I felt, TOO friendly – too “in your face,” interrupting during our conversations to chat with us or be entertaining, going a bit overboard with the “I’m your best friend” routine. I’ve also had traditional-seating waiters that barely spoke to us other than to take our order – in fact my last waiter on RCI was like that, he was surly and we rarely saw him. Of course, I’ve also had that gem of a waiter who absolutely enhanced our dining experience – my first waiter on Celebriyt, Attila (on Mercury), comes to mind. He was fun, charming, not intrusive, and somehow seemed to sense when we needed a bit of livening-up at the table.

 

In my open-seating cruises, the dining room experience is much closer to that on land, in a restaurant with outstanding service. Of course it helps that I was on luxury cruise lines, which are noted for their excellent service – and I never felt disappointed. One thing to note is that, being on smaller ships, we were often able to get the same wait person – we would just ask for a table in the same section each night. It was like that on my 2005 Regent cruise in the Med – there was a group of 12 from our roll-call thread, and we dined together most nights, and always picked table #8 – and always had the same wait staff, who were fabulous.

 

Anyway, hopefully this has answered your questions about how the service experience differs in the two types of dining arrangements.

 

I’d like to also address Uktog’s post. I completely understand your concerns – but I can assure you that it won’t be awkward…and if it feels awkward to you, it’s just something within yourself. LOTS of couples prefer to be alone together – heck, that’s what romance is all about! I can’t imagine a single person ever thinking bad thoughts about you choosing a table for two. If anything, they might be a little envious that you enjoy each others’ company so much that you would prefer to be alone together. ;) Having been on several cruises with open-seating, where we had the option of choosing to dine alone or with others, I assure you that it works very well, with no awkwardness. They simply ask “what size table” you would like to dine at – and if you say “small” or “table for two please,” that’s what they do for you. Nobody behind you will be standing there judging you harshly for your choice. If you say “large, please,” they’ll simply seat you at a table with others. I’ve done this several times, and it’s been wonderful! We’ve met some of the nicest people, some of whom we became friendly with for the duration of the cruise, others with whom we had that one dinner only. In all cases, there was never any awkwardness or discomfort.

 

The BEST part about open seating is that if you meet other people on your cruise, you can CHOOSE to dine with them! Of course, with Blu, that would only apply if they happen to be AQ folks as well…

 

I will say what my ONE concern with Blu is, given this new information about their open-seating (if it’s true)…and that is the fact that they have so MANY tables for two, and so FEW larger ones, in the drawings. I’m hoping that the reality is that they have many more larger tables. That’s because I’m cruising with my mother on Equinox, and one of the main reasons we take cruises instead of land-based trips is because, while we enjoy traveling together, all that one-on-one time can get overwhelming. On cruises we have the opportunity to meet people, dine with others, and get a break from ONLY being with each other. If Blu ends up being mostly two-fers, and no opportunity to mix it up with others, that will be a disappointment.

 

But like everything else with Solstice Class – we’ll just have to WAIT AND SEE! :D