Blu/main dinning room question

[little miss chatterbox]

There seems to be a lot of confusion about if you are in aqua class and want to eat in the main dinning room sometimes as you don't fancy anything on the blu menu?
On my confirmation it states that I am on an early seating....and thought blu was select seating...which would mean that we could use the main dinning room too?
Please confirm if I will be allowed in the main dinning room if there is nothing I want in blu?
There have been a few posts on this and it is still unclear. Travel agent says you can sort it out on the ship...but I would rather have it sorted for me and for others before we go. Thanks

[skandls]

With the popularity of Blu on the Celebrity ships - is there a possibility that a 'restaurant' will be open for cruisers who pay a fee for the restaurant or one will be created for Concierge Class?

[Bulaprincess]

I would like to give my complements to blu on
Infinity it was wonderful. The food and service
was great. I could not imagine anyone complaining
about the food/service & there is always the always
avalible menu items for those who didn't like anything
on menu.

[Michael Bayley]

As a guest in our AquaClass stateroom, you and fellow guests in that category have exclusive access to the specialty restaurant, Blu, as one of the many amenities associated with AquaClass. However, you are most certainly also welcome in the main dining room. I’m glad you asked. Thank you.

[mimito4]

Mr. Bayley, it seems as though your employees don't have the same understanding about dining in both Blu and the MDR.

When I cruised on Solstice and booked AQ, I was told by both our TA and your phone staff that we were SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED TO BLU, and that we COULD NOT dine in the MDR.

Even once on board, we checked and were told the same. We even tried to get in the line for anytime dining and were turned away.

We did make friends later on during the cruise with a group who had anytime dining, and when they asked us to join them, we did. We simply went with them. We were not turned away at that time, but I believe it was because we "slid" in with them, rather than an exception being made.

I am scheduled on a Reflection cruise, and did not even consider AQ for this reason. Was I wrong??

Could you please clarify this discrepancy?

[little miss chatterbox]

Thank you Mr Bayley for taking the time to answer my question. The call centre staff still disagree with this. The other day my ta tries to change my dining time to select rather than early and my ta was told that I would forfeit my blu dining option and would therefore need to eat in the main dining room for the whole of my cruise!!!! My ta then argued the point that I paid to be aqua class and eat in blu so I should have the option of doing both and they had already assigned me with an early seating time in the main dining room, so what difference did it make if I wanted to be select? The call centre person went off to speak to someone else and came back and said that they would change the dining time but I'm still not sure if they have taken me off the list for the blu restaurant....just waiting for a new confirmation slip.

[ghstudio]

There are no absolutes with Celebrity, but if you are in Aqua, your dining room is Blu....irrespective of what anyone in HQ says. The fact that she said you were assigned to early seating shows that she hasn't a clue because there is no such thing as early dining in Blu. It is always open dining...come when you want to eat dinner...and they do not take reservations or assign dinner times.

The only difference that selecting early/late dining or select dining is in your final payment bill....if you choose select dining, your final payment will include the gratuites. No matter which you select, you will get an aqua/blue room card when you board and you just need to show that at the door of Blu.

The celebrity customer care agents are clueless on this and have always been clueless...don't waste your time talking with them.....and frankly, it sounds like your TA has no idea either and it's the blind leading the blind.

You are not assigned to early seating or select dining in the main dining room...if you are in an Aqua cabin, your dining room is Blu.

[karelet]

We were in Aqua Class with Blu and Select Dining MDR on the Solstice Transatlantic in April. We had no problem dining in either. Actually we were almost turned away from Blu for lack of seating one night.

[mimito4]

karalet, good for you that you had this experience and flexibility, but most have not, and possibly will not.

Bottom line, this BIG DISCREPANCY in policy and communication to passengers must be addressed. It is what kept me from booking AQ on my upcoming cruise.

[bvhtontheruby]

Simple solution: print this page and bring it onboard with you - make sure you get Mr. Bayley's picture at the top.
PS we had no issues in July dining in either MDR or Blu -- you just have to stand in the "no reservations" line and therefore you get a table in the less desirable area of the dining room, but that's no biggie its the same food. Btw, we preferred the food in the MDR and Buffet! Blu is the best for breakfast (smoothies!) but dinner was nothing special in my opinion.

[little miss chatterbox]

That's exactly what I intend to do. I will stand my ground if the staff on the ship tell me otherwise. But hopefully it will be fine, they do try to please. X

[mimito4]

Originally Posted by bvhtontheruby

Simple solution: print this page and bring it onboard with you - make sure you get Mr. Bayley's picture at the top.
PS Btw, we preferred the food in the MDR and Buffet! Blu is the best for breakfast (smoothies!) but dinner was nothing special in my opinion.

I agree!

While you have a good suggestion about printing this proof and taking it with you, it doesn't solve the problem for the majority of cruisers (who, btw, aren't on cruise critic and aren't privy to these work arounds or "solutions").

The CEO, you know, the "buck-stopper", needs to make sure that ALL are on the same page, and in cases where perhaps they aren't, he needs to develop a culture that encourages ALL employees to problem solve in customer-oriented ways!

[mcd1411]

Hi , we have only ever booked AQ on all our cruises with celebrity. When you book AQ your main restaurant is Blu however you can eat where ever you wish. Blu is open seating and you can usually just walk in when you wish. however must people get into a routine and go at the same time. Blu is fantstic and the service is amazing, the first time i went on celebrity cruise i was concerned regards the menus and though i would ned to eat in the MDR however never did. If you dont like what is on the blu menu tell the staff and they will help you and you can even choose from the MDR menu in BLU. I have never had any need to go to the MDR ever. The food is all made fresh to order in BLU also, they have always been very good and will bend over backwards to please and ensure your enjoying your meal. I have even had the mash potatoes off the quisine menu before as the kitchen is right next door to BLU. If you hav any issues speak to the staff they are very helpful.

[Airbalancer]

. If you dont like what is on the blu menu tell the staff and they will help you and you can even choose from the MDR menu in BLU. I have never had any need to go to the MDR ever

I did not find that on my last cruise , while dinning in blu

[dkjretired]

Originally Posted by Airbalancer

. If you dont like what is on the blu menu tell the staff and they will help you and you can even choose from the MDR menu in BLU. I have never had any need to go to the MDR ever

I did not find that on my last cruise , while dinning in blu

YOu are correct, they appear to be getting away from allowing you to choose from the MDR menu especially on the Solstice class ships.

[islandchick]

You can eat in either Blu or the main dining room, no problem. I would suggest you add a specialty dining venue as we found Blu's food to be fairly bland but OK (I know lots of people love it but we were really disapointed). Tried MDR one night and it was ok as well, nothing special in either place.

[redridinghood]

we are just off the Equinox. We dined in Blu but were not huge fans of the menu, so there were days we chose to dine in the MDR. They will only accomodate you at the set dining times, not select anytime dining. Just turn up the the top floor right hand side at 6.30 or 8.30 and give them your stateroom number. We love the choice of menu items in the MDR and to be able to dine at a time that suits us so for this reason I doubt we would book aquaclass again.

You are able to order the 3 anytime available entrees in Blu, but not the anytime starters or desserts. We did ask for filet mignon 24 hours in advance and they were very happy to accomodate us.

Also, as a side note, my husband loves the escargot and he was told that all Celebrity ships have now discontinued this as they cannot purchase enough at a decent price, I think he ate the last of the ones on the ship!

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by redridinghood

You are able to order the 3 anytime available entrees in Blu, but not the anytime starters or desserts. We did ask for filet mignon 24 hours in advance and they were very happy to accomodate us.

We will be sailing back to back in Aqua Class on the Silhouette in a few weeks and am wondering if you believe it would be possible to order say a shrimp cocktail or onion soup 24 hours in advance. Just to have a bit of extra variety over the 14 nights for those in our group who are a tad more finicky

[redridinghood]

[quote=Arubalisa;36203832]We will be sailing back to back in Aqua Class on the Silhouette in a few weeks and am wondering if you believe it would be possible to order say a shrimp cocktail or onion soup 24 hours in advance. Just to have a bit of extra variety over the 14 nights for those in our group who are a tad more finicky
[/QUOTE

We did have escargots and soup a few times, it wasn't until the last night of the cruise that we were told that they had gone to extra trouble to do this for us. We felt really bad about it and I wish it had been made more plain to start with what we could and couldn't order.

[vermonter16]

Originally Posted by redridinghood

Also, as a side note, my husband loves the escargot and he was told that all Celebrity ships have now discontinued this as they cannot purchase enough at a decent price, I think he ate the last of the ones on the ship!

Bummer about the escargot. I really look forward to it....the only time I get it is on a cruise....real bummer.