Miaminice
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Posts posted by Miaminice
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As you will probably be told in many more replies the main and major difference is that you get to dine in BLU as an AQ guest.
BLU is what got us hooked on Aqua Class. The food is good and very nicely presented - some think it is better than the food in the MDR, I would just say it is different, a bit lighter. However, BLU provides an elegant exclusive and quieter venue. No rush and less noise. We really enjoy going there... breakfast is also nice in BLU.
You still have the chance to dine in the MDR whenever you feel like it. So you get the best of both worlds. If AQ is not much more than Concierge and you enjoy the ambiance of a quiet and elegant restaurant - go Aqua.
The other difference is that you get free entry to the Persian Garden spa area. While Persian Garden is nice on Solstice-class ships we did not care for it too much on Millenium class.
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... Having dined many times on Celebrity I would say sometimes Blu may be better and sometimes it's not. I've had good and not so good in both restaurants. ...
It also depends on peoples taste. ... The Blu dining room is more intimate which should foster better service, but I've had lots of wonderful service in the MDR too...
Ma Bell, I am 100% with you...
I enjoy cruising (the food part), and especially with Celebrity and AQ, because of the variety... breakfast at the buffet, MDR or BLU, Ocean View (possibly outside) for lunch, dinner wherever we feel like it. While BLU is our reason to book AQ, we still enjoy the MDR once in a while - in particular on formal nights. Isn´t that what cruising is all about - CHOICE ?
Some nights (in any venue) are a hit, some not so much - I never had a "miss" though. I guess it is all about attitude and expectations. My motto on vacation: relax and enjoy!
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Hi miaminice we certainly do have time on our cruise and love every minute of it! We will be prepared to wait for a table in Blu no problem. People were waiting on Equinox last year for a table by the window (in the pitch black) we won't be doing that
You sound like people we would like to dine next to in any venue and enjoy a pleasant conversation and good food :)
I feel the same way. I am on vacation to relax. I don´t get upset, I have got all the time in the world... and I am certainly not looking or searching for things to get wound up about. Unlike so many others... actually it is quite sad.
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When Select Dining began, it was fairly easy to just walk up and be seated within a few minutes, no reservations required.
Now many passengers report wait times of fifteen minutes, even half an hour to get a table.
If many passengers from BLU are choosing to come to Select Dining, that makes fewer tables available to those who booked Select Dining in the first place.
You are correct that it used to be different - as were many things before cruising has become a mass market thing.
This phenomenon (unfortunately) also occurs on other ships and other cruiselines, even the ones that do not even offer AQ or an equivalent class.
Fact is that Select or My-Time-Dining or whatever it is called by the respective cruise line is widely accepted. More demand than seating capacity...
When not in BLU or when on board a RCL-ship we usually dine at 7 pm. Close to the time of the first fixed seating dinner. When looking down from the Select floor we noticed an almost empty dining room below many times althoug we had to wait for our table in the Select section...
Yeah, just blame it on AQ-guests... must be them :confused::confused::confused:
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@ghstudio
Booking in Europe or the US does not make any difference in that matter... btw I do and did both.
Even when booking AQ on board for future cruises (as we just did on Constellation) you will be asked which seating in MDR you prefer/ or Select. If you were correct, why would that be the case?
Check the Celebrity (US-)website. The wording is: As an Aqua Class guest you can enjoy "priority seating in Blu" (next to suite passengers which can dine in BLU upon availability), you have the "choice to dine in BLU or any other ship restaurant"...
Plus we received the already explained information by the BLU Maitre D´...
If I remember correctly, even the blue Aqua Class seapass card reads either a time or the words "Select" on it. I would have to check the cards at home for that...
Well, all that might just be evidence that Celebrity does not follow the procedure which, according to you, is supposed to be followed...
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...We have select dining on our upcoming cruise on Summit as we are in a suite but will be hoping to dine in Blu as we too are hooked after our last experience on Equinox
Aqua Class or "regular" suite?
Suite guests can also dine in BLU - however "upon availability" only.
I don´t think you will have any problems on Summit though, maybe during peak times. But even if so... one thing we should have while on a cruise is time, right? ;)
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If any Aqua guests would like to dine in the MDR they need to arrange it with the Maitre D' in Blu. This is the only person who can arrange it for you.
Steve
Sorry, common mistake!
Even without arrangements you can just walk to the MDR and dine - either at your fixed time or, if you chose Select Dining, whenever you feel like it. You can even make online reservations prior to the cruise. No need to talk to the Maitre D'. So booking Select Dining as an AQ guest gives you the best of both worlds.
We spoke to the Maitre D' of BLU about this on our last cruise.
We had made nightly reservations in the MDR online prior to the cruise but decided to dine in BLU almost every night. Since we did not want to reserve a table we wouldn't use in MDR, I asked him if we should inform the Maitre of the MDR.
He explained to us that there is no need to do so. As AQ guest we'd be free to choose were we wanted to go. As soon as we'd be registered in the computer of either BLU or MDR, any other reservation for that night would be cancelled, he explained.
So in short: BLU is a CHOISE, one that only AQ guests have, but it is not a must.
However, being unsure about BLU on our first AQ cruise, BLU is what got us hooked on AQ.
Oliver
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As AQ guests you have the (great) choice to eat in BLU - but you are not obligated to do so.
If you know now already that you want to dine in the MDR and BLU. I would advise you to change the fixed seating in the MDR to Select Dining. That way you can choose any time you like to dine - in MDR as well as BLU.
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In a nutshell it is a kind of steam room... you can also call it hamam, roman bath etc.
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Hi,
Persian Garden is a spa with sauna, steam room, heated loungers etc.
I was not to thrilled about it, felt cramped to me and had no windows to the outside.
Other than that we loved Constelation! We did the christmas cruise. BLU got us hooked on Aqua Class - on board we booked 2 more cruises, also AQ.
Nice quiet ambiance, stylish but not overdone, nicely presented good food.
We dined in Tuscan Grille on night (35$ cover) - excellent.
I wrote a review with tons of pics (also of the ship) in a German cruise forum which you might like to look at: http://www.kreuzfahrtinfos.at/kfi-forum/board3-kreuzfahrt-reedereien/board55-celebrity-cruises/board88-reisebericht-celebrity-cruises/4656-reisebericht-celebrity-constellation-karibik-weihnachten-2013/
Don't mind the text, enjoy the pics :)
Oliver
PS: Yes, Persian Garden and BLU are free for (all) AQ guests
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@ Eleris
All these pics were taken with a Canon EOS D650, which is the European model of the Canon Rebel something, I believe 5.
Most of them using a Sigma 18-200 Lens. Some (ie in Denali) using a Canon 70-250 lens.
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We did Alaska on Radiance (probably our best cruise ever) and also cruised on Millenium-Class.
I agree with the others, usually RCL caters more to families. However not so on Alaska cruises. Alaska is just not the typical family destination - so no worries here.
Radiance has just seen a refurb and is a beautiful ship.
Food is, unless you dine in BLU, pretty similar.
Celebrity has a bit more "modern luxury", OK. But that does not mean at all, that Radiance is not luxurious...
Really a hard call...
One Point goes to Radiance because of all the glass and all the views - great for Alaska.
Here a picture heavy review on our Alaska trip. Don´t mind the German text, just enjoy the pics...
Oliver
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Loungers are one thing... but BLU for just 100$ - DO IT!
But beware - you will never want to book anything else again ;)
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In a nutshell... the text just says that we had a great time, loved BLU and loved Connie ;)
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Hi,
unfortunately I don't have any specific photos of the balcony furniture. However, if you are interested in recent pics of Connie, you might like to browse through our review of the xmas cruise onboard Constellation (Aqua Class).
Never mind the German text... There are tons of pics :)
Oliver
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Upgraded to AQ on our last Constellation holiday cruise because of a price drop. BLU got us hooked on AQ. Not any other of the perks - just BLU.
Food is good and nicely presented. However, for us it is not so much about the food beeing better or more healthy than the food in MDR but more about the whole dining experience: no rush, more quiet, more relaxed and intimate... those are the things we really liked. So much that we are willing to pay considerably more on our already booked two next cruises.
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As many others, BLU got us hooked to AQ.
Good food nicely presented, yes, but the main reason: quiet, no rush, more personal... all the things you'd otherwise only find in a specialty restaurant.
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It is available on the buffet in the MDR and in Windjammer. I am 100% sure - because I love it ;)
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Check this for the best S-Class balcony and stateroom description I have ever seen...
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We always liked the MDR! Had Aqua-Class in December (Connie) and absulutely fell in love with BLU...
First I didn´t even want to go there but gave it a try - went to BLU every night after...and even for breakfast. Great personal service, no noise, no rush and great food.
Booked two more cruises with Celebrity - both in AQ.
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... Cab not necessary if you are not overloaded w. bags. $2.35 bus every 1/2 hour ...
I don´t think saving on a cab (flat rate MIA to SoBe 30$) is necessary when hotels are chosen in the price range of the Mondrian etc.
Flying in from Australia, the OP will have some luggage - taking a cab is just a comfortable / reasonable choice.
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I you want to be in the hip and sometimes loud "middle of it all", South Beach sure is the right place to be. It is just about the only area you can really explore by walking.
For all other "sight seeing" you´d either need a car or join a tour.
A good way to see a bit of Miami and the Beaches is to join the BigBus-HoHo-Tour - starting in South Beach or at Bayside Marketplace.
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Take the 300 $ OBC, buy the Soda Package on board (embarkation day) and use the rest for other things bought on board....
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We just had 9046 on the xmas cruise.
It was quiet. Some moving of the loungers could be heard but never bothered us.
What I really didn't like was the huge overhanging roof and the support beams. They were in my way all the time....
Only AC-balconies without are on deck 11
Aqua class vs Concierge?
in Celebrity Cruises
Posted
Beware of the overhang on M class. We did not like it that much and booked an AQ cabin on deck 11 for our next cruise.