Toronto Guy Posted August 14, 2013 #1 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Maybe it's me....but as much as I love dining in Blu....there is no way I'm going to pay an extra $700 pp on a 12 night cruise for it. I notice on the website that I can purchase a 5 night package for the specialty restaurants for $135 Canadian. I'm thinking that is a MUCH better path. Does anyone know if I can buy the package at that same price on board...or is that something I have to purchase online before the sailing date? I know they often give promotions on the first night for the specialty restaurants....but unsure of the multi-night packages as we usually sail AQ. Any other thoughts on this would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C 2 C Posted August 14, 2013 #2 Share Posted August 14, 2013 I have to purchase online before the sailing date? I know they often give promotions on the first night for the specialty restaurants....but unsure of the multi-night packages as we usually sail AQ.Any other thoughts on this would be much appreciated. We found that on the longer cruises there are frequent specials, from 20, 30, up to 50% off. We like AQ breakfast but we would prefer specialty restaurants for that price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riclop Posted August 14, 2013 #3 Share Posted August 14, 2013 AQ is getting ridiculosly priced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAV Posted August 14, 2013 #4 Share Posted August 14, 2013 AQ is getting ridiculosly priced. Supply and demand at work here. If the sailing is far out, Celebrity might price AQ several hundred dollars over standard balcony categories hoping people will book. As time goes on, if AQ isn't selling well on any given sailing, the price will drop. I've read countless posts of people who originally booked standard balconies, only to later upgrade to AQ after they saw the prices drop. Just because it's hundreds of dollars more this week is no guarantee that will be the same story next week..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akowilm Posted August 14, 2013 #5 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Nice Spa....Treatments, massage, etc, GREAT! Understand NOW that they will sell you an additional $2-300 of crap, and you are so relaxed, you will not decline! IMHO, I would spend the $$ on the Ultimate Dining Package.....Eat WHERE and WHEN you want EVERY night for dinner, and Bistro and the like everyday for lunch!! Unless you can score an M-Class aft AQ, just get a regular balcony cabin. Your clothes wont know the difference! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honeybearhollow Posted August 14, 2013 #6 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Love Blu but I agree with all of you. $700 is too much for AQ. The Specialty Dining packages is a great idea. I will remember that. And you can seldom use the hot tile beds, anyway, because they sell so many day packages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific islanders Posted August 14, 2013 #7 Share Posted August 14, 2013 We are on the Silhouette Eastern Med Oct 13, and upon final payment were upgraded to Aqua class (from a basic verandah) AND the price went DOWN by $190 per person. In addition, we have the booze cards and $300 credit from the 1.2.3. Promotion. Go ahead....ask me if AQ is worth the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronto Guy Posted August 14, 2013 Author #8 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Did you book direct with Celebrity? My final payment is on Saturday and also have the booze promo etc. Wonder if I should ask... ;) Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themutis Posted August 14, 2013 #9 Share Posted August 14, 2013 If you are really interested in AQ Class (Blu Breakfast, Dinner, Persian Gardens, etc), then I would watch the prices as the cruise gets closer. We just switched from a balcony (which was an exciting deals) to an Aqua Class (regular rate) for only 50.00 per cabin.... and since the Aqua Class was at a regular rate we were entitle to 100.00 OBC which we previously were not. So it was basically a free upgrade. You just have to check several times a week to see where the prices are at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific islanders Posted August 14, 2013 #10 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Did you book direct with Celebrity? My final payment is on Saturday and also have the booze promo etc. Wonder if I should ask... ;) We used our Travel Agent. Never does any harm to ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronto Guy Posted August 14, 2013 Author #11 Share Posted August 14, 2013 If you are really interested in AQ Class (Blu Breakfast, Dinner, Persian Gardens, etc), then I would watch the prices as the cruise gets closer. We just switched from a balcony (which was an exciting deals) to an Aqua Class (regular rate) for only 50.00 per cabin.... and since the Aqua Class was at a regular rate we were entitle to 100.00 OBC which we previously were not. So it was basically a free upgrade. You just have to check several times a week to see where the prices are at. How close to sailing date were you? Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miched Posted August 14, 2013 #12 Share Posted August 14, 2013 We like and enjoy AQ but for us the breaking point is $25/day pp and that is pushing it. There are more perks in AQ than Blu but they don't add much to justify the extra cost. Breakfast in AQ is nice but we found that the Bistro on 5 is a nice change, there is room service, Aqua Spa cafe, and even a few nibbles while enjoying a good cup of coffee at the coffee shop provides enough and a better atmosphere. The speciality dining is ok but we found that we are "forced" to over eat so we don't go to them any more. It seems as if we feel stuffed for the rest of the cruise and don't even feel like having a drink. There are a lot better ways to spend $700 per person than AQ. It could buy a bev pack, or a lot of dining as suggested, and if you really feel the need you could spend $20 for a day or so in the Persian Gardens. I don't know if it is limited to the Reflection but on that ship they offered the unlimited ultimate dining pack for $29/day pp that is for dining in all the specialty restuarants for all of your meals. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themutis Posted August 14, 2013 #13 Share Posted August 14, 2013 We were 4 weeks out (I think) when we switched from Balcony to Aqua class. I have seen the prices of the upcoming Tuesday Exciting Deals show up on the weekend as regular rates.... thus allowing additional OBC for us. Don't know it thats the norm for all cruises, but for the bermuda cruises it seems to have worked that way. We booked through a TA that offered free gratuities and the 100OBC, which are nice perks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronto Guy Posted August 14, 2013 Author #14 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Thanks everybody for the info and advice! Much appreciated. Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascol Posted August 14, 2013 #15 Share Posted August 14, 2013 AQ is getting ridiculosly priced. Depends on the trip - 10 months ago we paid less for AQ on our 14 night cruise than we would have if we went with Concierge Class. This was not a last minute deal either.....we booked many months ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolslc Posted August 16, 2013 #16 Share Posted August 16, 2013 We booked about 6 months out, for a 7 night cruise, and AQ was only $100 more pp than the cheapest balcony cabin. And we got $450 OBC as part of the deal with the TA. I don't know how much of that was tied to AQ, but we were happy. But no, I wouldn't have paid $700 pp extra for AQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandchick Posted August 17, 2013 #17 Share Posted August 17, 2013 watch for the prices to drop. We got an AQ room for the same as a regular balcony. The ultimate dining package is well worth it if you are on a Solstice class ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHEZMARYLOU Posted August 18, 2013 #18 Share Posted August 18, 2013 The price of an Aqua cabin was several hundred dollars less than a CC on our Alaska cruise & land tour when we booked so we booked Aqua. Since then Aqua has gone above CC for the land tour. Mary Lou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronto Guy Posted August 23, 2013 Author #19 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Finally got the AQ upgrade today for only $260 Cdn pp more over our oceanview price. Very, very happy. Thx everyone for your advice! Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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