micruiser2002

2 hours ago, Islander500 said:

As several folks have questioned whether the BLU experience has changed, I'm sharing a link to M-class Summit review for very recent feedback on the BLU experience on a Celebrity ship. Just note the subsection on dining, or please just scroll on by if you aren't interested. It's just my opinion! 🫣😏

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=706873

Blu still has a better selection of appetizers than MDR or Luminae.  I actually started a list of about 10 appetizers from Blu menu that I plan to ask for when I am in Luminae in a few weeks.  None of them are soup or salad, which is basically all that is offered in MDR and Luminae for apps.

28 minutes ago, gojengo said:

Yesterday, I could no longer see the menus on the app for my April 2024 Beyond sailing.  I checked again just now and they're still not there. Is anyone able to see the menus? Or did they move them somewhere else on the app?

You are better off looking at a current/upcoming sailing on your ship to see correct menus.  Anything out there too soon is not accurate.

2 minutes ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Sad that there are no more actual rotating appetizers, only soups and salads plus the daily shrimp cocktail and escargot.

That is exactly what I have been saying.  They used to have some really good "real" appetizers not just soup or salad and all of those are gone.  

7 minutes ago, monakayk said:

I was wanting the new main dining room menus.

Yes you can see those in the APP under a current sailing in the dining section.

If you look on the app at a current sailing you will see all the menus.  

3 hours ago, chrisn-au said:

It really is not that bad - after reading cc is was nervous on what the experience was going t be -  really t has been great ymmv

Have you previously sailed in a SS and used some of the services that are now no longer offered?  I think that is the main issue here.  Some people enjoyed some of the extras that were previously done by the butler and was what was listed for those of us who booked before these changes were rolled out.

On 10/3/2023 at 12:37 AM, fstuff1 said:

Currently on Solstice (Oct).

Still none of the meats you listed back in Feb.

 

Embarkation night used to be prime rib at buffet.

Lobster night used to have beef Wellington.

Last lunch day buffet used to be ribeye. (See my other thread where I had free ribeye, last updated in Aug)

 

What night menu is this?  In the app for the current Solstice sailing it showed prime rib on night 1 in MDR.

27 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

Makes one continue to think it may be ship to ship on the menus. 

I see Prime Rib on my upcoming sailing on Millie on night 1.

1 hour ago, Islander500 said:

Nope. Both the choices and quality of the food is diminished. And quite significantly.
 

I can probably go through it night by night, but for example, the 2 pieces of lamb from the rack of lamb (I was so happy to see it still on menu) were so tough I couldn’t cut through either of them so had 3 or 4 small bites, total. 
 

Certainly there are lots of changes from pre-covid, but I’m mostly focused on changes even from our last AQ cruise earlier this year in May where we noticed changes but not as impactful as on this cruise).  
 

The more significant menu changes (from what I had read) happened in August. And I can now absolutely confirm it from my own experience. New menus are a miss on all fronts.  Hope Celebrity is paying attention. Many AQ guests were talking about it on-board, too.  And on last cruise day, I noticed the future cruise desks (4 of them) empty which I’d never seen.  First time I didn’t book a future cruise on board in many, many years.  
 

 

What menu changes did you see?  I am looking at my upcoming sailing and the menu for Blu is the exact same (starters & entrees) as someone posted in January on CC.

6 minutes ago, Islander500 said:

Indeed it has. Very significantly downgraded in choices and quality. We are long-time AQ cruisers so we know well.  

Off 11 nights in BLU on Summit through last Sunday, and we chose entrees from MDR twice and opted to eat in Oceanview (OV) twice. (That has never  happened before, ever.) And then again to OV on final night because we couldn’t find anything on either menu (BLU or MDR) worth doing a long sit-down dinner. We stopped to tip the servers in BLU on the way to the OV. They apologized; I felt terrible for them. The service was still excellent and they all dutifully told us what was in bread basket each night, even though it was the exact same 3 bread choices each every night we were there. 

 

In Oceanview, I opted for fresh stir-fry both times although there were other choices (I don’t typically like pre-prepared foods) and since we were too late on the last evening, just opted for fresh grilled chicken on a salad.  

 

BTW, the filet mignon in Tuscan was the best cut of any meat we had the entire cruise. It was under-seasoned but cooked perfectly and tender.  

 

The “filet” presented in BLU on one dress-up night was about 1/2 inch thick and the texture was more like that of shredded beef. Of course, it was not medium rate, but was over-cooked, too.  (You’d have to have cooked it like a minute steak to have it prepared as ordered.) 
 

Never felt so disappointed in Celebrity dining in over 20 cruises in AQ.  And no, we didn’t starve for those who think that should be the standard of comparison.

But I did confirm that Celebrity dining is now a miss. 

 

 

I have not seen any real changes to the actual menu for BLU.  It looks like they still offer the same appetizers as previously?  I thought the mains looked the same also?  Has the menu actually changed or the quality of the food?  

35 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

The beet salad they serve on a small spoon? It's shocking me to that something so tiny can so incredibly disgusting. It takes like a mouthful of dirt. 

Too funny, I thought I was the only one who thought beets tasted like dirt.  Even though I have never had dirt. 🤣

1 hour ago, Whinenowine said:

@jelayne we've got various food restrictions in our family (and an overall love of meat...mmmmm).  In Luminae on the Edge, every night we ate there (5 out of 7 nights) there was at least one red meat and one chicken option, as well as a vegetarian option. Additionally our servers continuously offered items not on the menu.  Hoping it won't be an issue for you either.

When did you sail?  There have been menu changes starting in mid August.

1 hour ago, harbourxie said:

My family of 4 is travelling with Celebrity. When I check the MoveUp offer page, the Aqua Class is also listed as an option. Is it correct? If my bid got accepted, will Celebrity allows all 4 of us stay in an Aqua cabin? 

We don't really care about the stateroom location, but if we can stay in our same Veranda room and get access to Blu & Thermal Suite, we will be happy with the MoveUp. 
Thanks, 

Are you sure it isn't a Aqua Suite?

16 minutes ago, Mark_UK said:

 

Most definitely! I had been hoping to get lots of tips from their trip so haven't done much planning for it. Best get on it!

 

No update from today so far, still waiting to hear from Celebrity. Only 2 inside cabins left 😬🫣

Can you maybe put a hold on 1?  

16 minutes ago, bigbenboys said:

Just got home yesterday from sailing on Eclipse. We were in a Celebrity Suite. My MIL and her sister were in a standard cabin. I tried to make reservations for Murano online for the 4 of us. I had to call the 1-800- RETREAT number to get the time I wanted 6:30. That linked our cabins together. Dinner was great. My problems was, by linking the cabin/suite all the OBC went to my MIL. I talked to the Retreat Concierge (Inrich). Inrich said your credit card is on both cabins. You can see what OBC you have left in your MIL's cabin. REALLY. 

Was the OBC from CEL or from your TA?  I have never had my OBC posted to another persons account just by linking reservations.  I have had it happen when from a TA without linked reservations because of an error on their part.

1 hour ago, paulh84 said:

 

The website warns you of this before linking the reservation: 

 

 

Viewing vs changing personal data are 2 different things.  Also I am not sure this statement would adher to PII guidelines.  

3 minutes ago, LMHSRN said:

This add is correct.  HOWEVER what it means is that you have a machine in the room, not that they will deliver it.

I do not believe the in room machine makes cappuccino's.  I believe what this line means is they will deliver these to your room but by room service and not from the Bulter or Cafe that others have gotten in the past.

7 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

I was standing behind someone at a liquor store and a lady who was obviously drinking age was trying to use her passport as ID. The clerk would not accept it as they were required to check DL or state issued ID. She would not accept the passport. She probably would not have accepted a passport card either.  

Sorry but that should have been reported.  A pp is a legal form of ID and probably even better than a DL.  That must have been a store issue because I have used my PP when buying alcohol while on vacation.  

3 minutes ago, chemmo said:

To come back to my original post…I was simply commenting that while ‘officially’ in many countries you should have your passport with you in reality it is not usually an enforced law…

Just because you have never been stopped does not mean it is not enforced.  Sorry I would rather not take my chances with the Authorities.  I have no problem keeping my belongings safe and would prefer to avoid any issues/delays that could occur from not having my PP when asked.

3 minutes ago, chemmo said:

After travelling all over Europe for many years whilst the documents for several countries state ‘passport’ I genuinely think the police would rather tourists left as many valuables in the safe as possible. Pickpocketing is rife…We befriended a local detective in Lisbon and his big gripe with tourists was how often they stroll the streets with all their credit cards and cash on their person then just loose concentration for a moment…

Also there is a big difference between how we are vacationing and if I was backpacking. I can see authorities boarding a cross country bus and asking for ID I can not see them stopping an obvious tourist bus, needless to say my backpacking days are over! 

 

 

When I am out and about I will have a minimal number of € and my photocopy and my DL…

Sorry I am just pointing out what is legally required.  I find it amazing that so many people have an issue with this.  They want to see a PP for specific reasons, illegal entry, no VISA if required, or even terrorism. They can check for a PP at many places such as museum's, large shopping centers, Mosques. 

7 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

For Istanbul they give you a transit thru pass. You carry that and your DL. .  You can’t carry your passport because the cruise line takes it and holds at embarkation and does not return it until after Turkey. 

I believe the person who posted is there before a cruise on land.   The cruise lines must have a separate agreement.  The majority of the cruises I have taken have never held my PP.  The point is some countries do have legal requirements that you must have your PP on you at all times.  People need to just be aware of what the laws are.

1 hour ago, chemmo said:

Hi there, 

 

So kind of you to update us…You and your parents have been very much in our thoughts.

 

We arrived in Turkey for a stay in an AI resort yesterday and I have never been so glad to get the passports in the room safe. Until your post I had no idea that passports had a ‘monetary value’ to thieves and, much as we have always kept them fairly secure, like your parents, I would have felt comfortable leaving them in a bag in my hotel room….

 

I am so pleased that Celebrity are going to help out and that your parents are keen to cruise still. 🤞 all goes well for them.

 

 

Absolutely! I will very much be small print checking before our next cruise.
 

I still find it almost impossible to believe that you pay out so much for travel insurance and yet the insurance company has a ‘get out of jail free’ card when someone is the victim of a crime…

Hopefully you have one of these on you when you are out and about.  There are a lot of countries that required people to have their passport on them at all times.  This is from the website below.  

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey/safety-and-security#:~:text=It is illegal not to,on main roads across Turkey.

23 minutes ago, Peteymil said:

My two-year-old granddaughter normally sleeps in a crib, but on the cruise she will be sleeping in a pull out bed with her sister. Has anyone ever taken a toddler travel bed rail with them and used it in the situation? If so, is there a brand that you recommend.

Have you looked at the inflatable bumpers on Amazon?  You can tuck them under the sheet or some have a pad that can go under the mattress on the sofa bed.

2 minutes ago, Peteymil said:

You are correct and this is something I did not know when I was there!

I didn't either until recently.  I need to make a point to see if it is posted anywhere when we arrive.  They really need to make people aware of this.