Specialty Restaurant Price Increase Email From My TA

[boogs]

I just recieved this email from my TA a few minutes ago:

"I thought I would pass this along, beginning Sept. 1st, Celebrity is planning to increase their specialty restaurant dining fee. It’s expected to be $5 to $10 per person. If you can make reservations before Sept 1st, you can lock in at the current price."

[uktog]

Interesting, unfortunately I am more than 6 months out from my trips so cannot book ahead, if it is a $10 increase that will make quite a difference to us (+$100), as we tend to go 5/6 times a trip

[mcrcruiser]

Originally Posted by boogs

I just recieved this email from my TA a few minutes ago:

"I thought I would pass this along, beginning Sept. 1st, Celebrity is planning to increase their specialty restaurant dining fee. It’s expected to be $5 to $10 per person. If you can make reservations before Sept 1st, you can lock in at the current price."

If X does in fact increase their speciality dining room fees ,there are 2 people here who will never go again The principle of this is that they save on the meal we don't eat & charge us $35 each now.Adding another $5 or $10 on top is pushing the issue a bit too far.

[TLCOhio]

Originally Posted by mcrcruiser

If X does in fact increase their speciality dining room fees ,there are 2 people here who will never go again The principle of this is that they save on the meal we don't eat & charge us $35 each now.Adding another $5 or $10 on top is pushing the issue a bit too far.

Agree strongly with your viewpoint and concern. On our first cruise with Celebrity in mid June, we sampled and really enjoyed all three of the speciality dining places. We had booked Murano in advance for our 39th wedding anniversary and added the other two when the offered the three for $79 special. Each of three are very different, but it was great and gave us better dining time options than the inflexible two evening MDR timings.

This might mean they will just offer more of those "3 for $X" pricing plans. Those fees are supposed to cover the tips for the staff. Doubt that these fee increases will go to the staff.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Just back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. These postings are now at 26,102 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:
http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/s....php?t=1426474

[cruise kitty]

Well, I guess now we know what the big dining change coming in Sept is!

Count me as another cruiser who will just skip the specialty resturants if they're going up that high, I'm really going to be upset if they raise the price of the bistro, but I wouldn't be that surprised.

[Gonzo70]

Originally Posted by TLCOhio

Those fees are supposed to cover the tips for the staff. Doubt that these fee increases will go to the staff.

FYI only about $5 of the fee goes to the staff as gratuities; the bulk of the cover charge is retained by the cruise line to cover the increased operating cost and for profit.

[Orator]

In past posts on speciality restaurants many have said that even though tips were included in the additional price, they still always left extra. My guess is that if prices increase, fewer will leave an additional tip, believing that at least some of the extra charge is directed to the servers. I'm also in the camp that believes an increase in price will result in more dining discount packages being offered. The "discounted" price will probably be the full price prior to any increase.
If restaurant bookings go down we will probably see more 20% and 1/2 off offers. If they do as the OP suggested, I think I will refuse to book a Speciality Restaurant unless/or until there is a special offer and I would urge others to do the same. If they get the price, they'll only try to raise the price again.

[Barwick Cruiser]

UKtog: We are booked to travel April 2012 and I was able to make a reso about a month ago, so if you're interested in making one I'd try and do it now before the price does go up. Good Luck!! Cathy

[PartyAllDaTyme]

Reminds me of the story of the kid with the lemonade stand. On the front is a sign, "One glass of lemonade, $1,000." A passerby approaches and says, "That's kind of steep for just one glass of lemonade, isn't it? You're not going to get very many customers." "Yeah," the young entrepreneur replies, "but I only need one."

In the end, the price will be determined by what people are willing to pay. If demand drops, the prices will come down or they will close the specialty restaurants completely if they can't make a go of it at the prices they have to charge.

We love the specialty restaurants, but limit our visits to special occasions like anniversaries. For us, the MDR is usually more than adequate for an elegant dining experience. If the cost becomes too ridiculous, we'll possibly seek other options, like a special meal at a restaurant ashore. Otherwise, we'll probably eat the additional cost, pun intended. Agree with Orator that it'll be a disincentive to leave a larger additional tip, which is sad for the staff.

[patty1955]

Question: If I book a specialty restaurant and pay before my cruise, will I be able to reschedule it without charge on the ship?

[mafig]

In the future, unless I have a sizeable OBC, I'll be very happy in the main dining room.

[Gonzo70]

Originally Posted by patty1955

Question: If I book a specialty restaurant and pay before my cruise, will I be able to reschedule it without charge on the ship?

I would think you should be able to do that.

[geenafeena]

what will they come up with next to charge more for???!!! we have an OBC for a speciality restaurant. If we book a restaurant in advance WE will end up paying for it out of our own pocket since it is charged to your credit card at the time of the advance reservation. If we book in on board the OBC will be applied. So basically we will have to pay the increase.

[uktog]

Originally Posted by Barwick Cruiser

UKtog: We are booked to travel April 2012 and I was able to make a reso about a month ago, so if you're interested in making one I'd try and do it now before the price does go up. Good Luck!! Cathy

Will do, though its for October 2012
I have the other idea, I could buy us dining gifts I will investigate that one
Thanks though for letting us know

[Orator]

Originally Posted by geenafeena

what will they come up with next to charge more for???!!! we have an OBC for a speciality restaurant. If we book a restaurant in advance WE will end up paying for it out of our own pocket since it is charged to your credit card at the time of the advance reservation. If we book in on board the OBC will be applied. So basically we will have to pay the increase.

Any speculation may be premature. We need to hear the details from Celebrity.

[SevenSeas70]

Originally Posted by boogs

I just recieved this email from my TA a few minutes ago:

"I thought I would pass this along, beginning Sept. 1st, Celebrity is planning to increase their specialty restaurant dining fee. It’s expected to be $5 to $10 per person. If you can make reservations before Sept 1st, you can lock in at the current price."

I agree that this is pretty outrageous, if true. The $35 Ocean Liner charge is already the highest specialty restaurant fee on the seas. One possible action is the following. Since you can cancel specialty restaurants bookings without penalty as long as you do so 24 hours ahead of your scheduled time it would seem that now is the time to book all possible times you might want to dine, and cancel those times you decide not to use when on board.

[boogs]

Originally Posted by SevenSeas70

The $35 Ocean Liner charge is already the highest specialty restaurant fee on the seas.

Not even close! The new Disney Dream has a french cuisine restaurant called Remy, at $75 per person!!!!

[arewethereyet]

This is great news! Instead of eating at a specialty restaurant 3 times, I'll go 2 times. This is a money saver for me.

[Cruise Junky]

Originally Posted by boogs

Not even close! The new Disney Dream has a french cuisine restaurant called Remy, at $75 per person!!!!

Allure and Oasis I think have a pretty pricey specialty restaurant too.

[las928]

Originally Posted by Orator

In past posts on speciality restaurants many have said that even though tips were included in the additional price, they still always left extra. My guess is that if prices increase, fewer will leave an additional tip, believing that at least some of the extra charge is directed to the servers. I'm also in the camp that believes an increase in price will result in more dining discount packages being offered. The "discounted" price will probably be the full price prior to any increase.
If restaurant bookings go down we will probably see more 20% and 1/2 off offers. If they do as the OP suggested, I think I will refuse to book a Speciality Restaurant unless/or until there is a special offer and I would urge others to do the same. If they get the price, they'll only try to raise the price again.

This afternoon I received the Summer 2011 Captain's Club newsletter as an e-mail and there is an article on Wine and Dine packages. Besides describing the Wine and Dine package choices, it also says the packages can be carried over to future cruises.

I didn't see pricing mentioned. If the pricing is right, then I would consider purchasing the 5 dinner/wine package and carrying it over to future cruises that are already booked.

Linda