Room Decision - Need Input

[Cruisy McGee]

We sail on Solstice this summer. Currently, I have a C2 with largest balcony on the angle of the hump. The price for A2 has now dropped to $100 total - not per person - less than my C2, but I would lose my large balcony and be a little further back on the starboard side (1638 or 1640). I've read all the menus, and the Blu menus look good, but somewhat limited. I've read on these forums that the Blu menus may be changing soon - anyone know anything more about that? I think we would enjoy the Persian Garden if we went Aqua, but I wouldn't spend the money for a pass if we stay with the C2. I see pros and cons on both sides.

 

What would you do?

[jelayne]

Are you after final payment date?

 

Do you have perks with your current C2 booking & are those perks being offered for Aqua? Making a change could result in the loss of perks if they are not currently being offered.

[Cruisy McGee]

Are you after final payment date?

 

Do you have perks with your current C2 booking & are those perks being offered for Aqua? Making a change could result in the loss of perks if they are not currently being offered.

 

Thank you for asking, I should have specified. We are well before final payment and I can get the same perks. So it really is just about location and amenities.

[Cruise a holic]

Having sailed in all classes on Celebrity, Blu isn't great- The best part of Blu is that it is more like dining in a private restaurant-vs. a banquet style ballroom. So if that appeals to you- go for AQ. The persian garden, IMO is a gimmick- It is a large room with a few tiled heated seats. It also has a sauna, rainforest showers and steam room. Tried it a few times- but not impressed. A larger balcony is nice if you believe you will spend time on it. We have cruised many times and on some cruises- hardly use it. Nice to have breakfast on if you are on the side of the ship that isn't too sunny in the morning and your balcony is covered.

 

Another issue with AQ is that most of the cabins have public spaces above and the noise can start early in the morning and last late. Do not get a cabin under the gym-you will hear the machines and noise frequently. My rule is "cabins above and below". Enjoy your cruise.

[Cruisy McGee]

Having sailed in all classes on Celebrity, Blu isn't great- The best part of Blu is that it is more like dining in a private restaurant-vs. a banquet style ballroom. So if that appeals to you- go for AQ. The persian garden, IMO is a gimmick- It is a large room with a few tiled heated seats. It also has a sauna, rainforest showers and steam room. Tried it a few times- but not impressed. A larger balcony is nice if you believe you will spend time on it. We have cruised many times and on some cruises- hardly use it. Nice to have breakfast on if you are on the side of the ship that isn't too sunny in the morning and your balcony is covered.

 

Another issue with AQ is that most of the cabins have public spaces above and the noise can start early in the morning and last late. Do not get a cabin under the gym-you will hear the machines and noise frequently. My rule is "cabins above and below". Enjoy your cruise.

 

Thank you. The AQ cabin I am considering does have cabins above and below, so that is a plus. Thank you for your input on Blu. I read all the rave reviews, but the menus just don't excite me. I was starting to think I was crazy. ;) We are fortunate to have opportunities to eat at some truly wonderful restaurants at home. I am not expecting cruise food to compare to what we are used to in our "real world", so I'm thinking more choices might be better than fewer.

 

I get your point about the Persian Garden, I think we would visit a few times and I think my husband would probably enjoy it, but I wouldn't pay extra for it I don't think.

[hcat]

Great price for upgrade to AQ...breakfasts in BLU are great and you can always go to MDR is menu not appealing...you get dbl credit for Cap Club, expanded rm service menu and Persian Garden.which is .very nice on S class, Relaxation Rm on S class, priority boarding.,,footrests on your balc..upgraded shower, afternoon canapes

 

Losing a big balc only worth it if you spend most of your time out there

[Wine-O]

For $100 more, I would jump on the AQ, especially since the location of your cabin will be under the suites.

 

Not sure what the policy is on Solstice, but on Reflection last October we were able to order an entrée from the MDR, so we would check out the menus for both each afternoon.

 

Big balcony is great if you plan to have 2-4 people over for cocktails. Other than that, the standard balcony would work just fine.

 

Someone mentioned you get dbl credit for Cap Club -- not sure what that means. :confused: AQ and CC get the same Captain Club points.

[Cruisy McGee]

For $100 more, I would jump on the AQ, especially since the location of your cabin will be under the suites.

 

Not sure what the policy is on Solstice, but on Reflection last October we were able to order an entrée from the MDR, so we would check out the menus for both each afternoon.

 

Big balcony is great if you plan to have 2-4 people over for cocktails. Other than that, the standard balcony would work just fine.

 

Someone mentioned you get dbl credit for Cap Club -- not sure what that means. :confused: AQ and CC get the same Captain Club points.

 

The AQ is actually $100 LESS than the CC. Good to know that you were able to order off the MDR menu. My understanding is that we could eat in the MDR as long as there is space available, as well. Can anyone confirm?

[QuakerBoy]

We've done both and prefer the location and extended balcony of the slant C2 cabins. Blu is OK, but small and quite loud, and the food is nothing special. Tried Persian Gardens once and lasted 3 minutes. Same Captains Club points, so that's a wash. However, as you have undoubtably seen by reading other reviews, many people love Aqua and Blu. Maybe give it a try to see if it's your cup of tea.

[Mr. Click]

Go for the A2. We loved it when we had a chance to try it due a a huge price drop after final payment. We gave up a 1A cabin on the slant with that huge balcony and never missed it. We found the service and the atmosphere in Blu to be great. Not great enough to pay $2000 extra but great when the price is reasonable.

[ClaudiaB]

OK, I have to say, JUMP on it! Blu is great. The menus are good, and if it's new to you, it's not going to matter if they're the same as two years ago. The ambiance is better, you have more attention to detail and they can customize things better as they're serving only a couple hundred not a couple thousand. We personally think the food is a real step up from the main dining room. If they don't have what you want, ask them. If you'd like a big plate of broccoli or a salad with grilled chicken on it - it's a lot easier for them to do than asking the main dining room to deviate. Once we ate in blu we never went back. And the balcony to us, as long as it will hold the two chairs/loungers it doesn't matter if there is a lot of space or not, we just need room for the table and the two chairs. You may not think the AQ amenities are that wonderful, but once you have all that access, you'll be surprised how nice it is.

[backyardponder]

Never done AQ, but love our C2 on the hump. If you like spending time on your balcony, having the deep balcony is wonderful. If you aren't a balcony person, then it probably doesn't matter.

[BettyCruiser]

I wouldn't give up the balcony, if I had a C2 with a regular balcony yes I would switch, but I wouldn't give up a large balcony on the angle.

[mandream]

The AQ is actually $100 LESS than the CC. Good to know that you were able to order off the MDR menu. My understanding is that we could eat in the MDR as long as there is space available, as well. Can anyone confirm?

 

I wouldn't count on being able to order from the MDR in Blu. It may be possible in some cases, but not guaranteed, so be careful if this is a deal maker/breaker.

 

If it were me, I would probably do it. It would be hard to give up the angled balcony, which we typically book, and while I'm not a huge fan of the Blu menu, I prefer the service and ambiance to the MDR.

 

Mike

[Cruisy McGee]

I love all this input. Thanks everyone. I am not sure I am any closer to a decision, but it's interesting to see what you would do and why.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I love all this input. Thanks everyone. I am not sure I am any closer to a decision, but it's interesting to see what you would do and why.

 

I wouldn't give up that large balcony either. Have sailed in AQ and wasn't particularly impressed. It's cheaper than your CC cabin because they're having trouble selling it.

 

To me, the only benefit is Blu. Smaller, quieter dining room with better service. Menu not particularly exciting except for breakfast. Never tried to order from the MDR menu. That menu is routinely offered in Luminae along with the Luminae menu. Never saw that happen in Blu. So beware if you're counting on that.

[Alsmez]

As much as I love a large balcony, I would take the AQ room, absolutely. IMO the other "perks" of Concierge Class are nothing to write home about. We were in CC on our first cruise with Celebrity (before the drink packages and changes to the loyalty program came along), and even then, it wasn't much of an upgrade over a regular balcony. Now it's even less so, IMO.

 

Blu is miles better than the MDR - it's a restaurant rather than a banquet hall, with all that entails (made-to-order food, special requests accommodated, etc.). IMO the menu descriptions don't do the food justice. We live in NYC and have visited some of the best restaurants in town - Blu is not on par with anything Michelin-starred, but it is certainly on par with mid-range places (where you would expect to pay perhaps $20-25 for an entree). The atmosphere is much nicer than the MDR as well. Of course, you can still eat in the MDR if you want to, and if you're saving $100 on the room you could always use that for specialty dining if the Blu menu didn't suit you on a given night.

 

We also really liked the Persian Gardens and used the area quite a bit when we sailed AQ - the ice room, steam room, sauna and heated loungers are really wonderful.

[CallyCruzer]

As you can see, you will have different opinions. My own is I only book Aqua. But I always book on the slant so I have the huge balcony. And yes, its below the deck that people keep saying is noisy - but I don't know what they are talking about as I have never had that issue. I love Blu - maybe one night per 14 night cruise I don't find anything exciting - so maybe I order a steak or salmon- or go to a specialty restaurant. But I love that all the waiters get to know you - love breakfast in Blu - and I DESPISE eating in the MDR. Don't like the noise, etc. And regarding Persian Gardens. I go every day to enjoy the warm beds for 30 minutes at the end of a day or touring around. I tried Concerige once in order to book on the back of the ship and won't do that again. So - whatever you decide to do - enjoy your cruise!!

[Lastdance]

If this is a chance to try Blu, I would definitely do it, unless you need the bigger balcony or you're afraid you'll be hooked and want to book AQ all the time. This is a nice opportunity for you to see if you like it. Don't beat yourself up over it; just do it! Take the risk and enjoy. Personally, I really enjoy Blu and eat there even when I am in a suite sometimes...yes, I also have been in the C2, on the slant and have enjoyed the bigger balconies too.

 

 

 

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[SuiteTraveler]

Between the two cabins, I would prefer the larger balcony and then if I wanted to upgrade it would be to a suite, not Aquaclass with a smaller balcony.

[goofysmom99]

I've taken B2B cruises twice (28 days at a time), one cruise dining in Blu, the other in the MDR. The food was identical, just different presentations. Chef confirmed that, too. Blu is quieter and on the Constellation, I had truly personal service. On the Reflection, the MDR service was better. I like the shower heads in AQ cabins but I always book a hump balcony. So, if the price is right and a hump cabin available, I'll book AQ. Otherwise, I stick with a C2 on the hump. I love the long balcony more than the shower/dining ambiance.

[bottomfeeder]

I've only had one cruise in AQ so far (will be in AQ again for my next cruise though!) and I've also had the pleasure of one of the extra-large balconies a couple of times. I think the advice to think about how much you'll actually use the balcony is good.

 

As far as the food in Blu vs. MDR being "the same"...yes, it is the same in the sense that if you order a filet mignon in Blu, it will be from the same source and of the same grade etc. as the filet served in the MDR. If you order potatoes, they will come out of the same big bin of potatoes that the MDR gets its potatoes from. However, the preparation is different, not just the presentation. Blu menus have less goopy/greasy sauces, less frying,etc...a modestly healthier preparation.

 

I really enjoyed both the food and the more personal service in Blu vs. the MDR. But some people might be of the mindset "hey, I'm on vacation...bring on the deep-fried stuff and the butter sauces! I'm going to eat all the stuff I deny myself most of the time!"

 

It's all a matter of what you want. But if it were me, without hesitation I'd take the $100 back and switch to the Aqua Class room.

Edited February 10, 2017 by bottomfeeder
typo!

[Duanerice1]

We've cruised AQ a couple of time, but always with a large balcony. I'm not sure I'd give up the large balcony because we (I) spend a lot of time out there. I spend almost all of a sea day on the balcony so the size matters to me.

 

But, we really like Aqua. Went to the Persian Gardens a couple of times but it's nothing special, I could easily live without. Blu is as someone above said, more like a restaurant and not a banquet hall. That, not the food, makes the difference for us. The food was hit or miss. Not the quality but as of finding something I'd like. I had to "settle" a few times with the salmon from the everyday menu. We couldn't get anything from the MDR but we were always on a S class ship so it might be different on an M class ship.

 

Not sure what I'd do. This would be a tough decision for me - good luck :)

[Cruise a holic]

Just another point, Lumine the suite restaurant is much better then Blu or the MDR. And you have access to Michael's club which is a wonderful bonus. We have been fortunate enough to upgrade to a suite for a very reasonable fee a week or two before the cruise. You should call Celebrity a few times the week or two before the cruise. Unfortunately some people have to change plans at the last minute. We once snagged a great SS just two days before our cruise for a very reasonable amount. Enjoy

[cruising sister]

Blu not worth it to me. You can get MDR food easily on M class ships as kitchens are close, not so for S class. I have a picky eater spouse and he did not like it. The Persian gardens are a hit or miss depending on how many people want to use it. We are balcony lovers and would keep the big balcony.