'Specialty Restaurants Packages?

Went online to Celebrity to see if they still offer the 'Specialty Restaurants Packages' and cannot find them listed there because they are working on the site. I called X and they told me to wait until the site is completed. Personally, very poor response. Does anyone have any idea of what they may be. Going on the Solstice soon. Thank you! Happy Cruising!

I believe the package cost is $79 for one visit to each of the three restaurants, an $11 savings, but I think the package is only available on the ship.

Hi Asctony,

The $ 79 Package US (PLUS 15%) to dine at 3 Specialty Restaurants (with no repeats) was most certainly on the Celebrity Website 7 to 10 Days ago… it was shown in the CELEBRITY EXPERIENCES category, and from what I could see could indeed be purchased PRIOR to sailing. It was a good deal considering the 3 Restaurant's normal Cover Charge is $ 35 + $ 30 + $ 25 (PLUS 15%)

Although as others have mentioned here on the Celebrity Forum (in various topics), the same package deal does seem to be offered “on some” sailings as well.

As you’ve discovered… (and I did too a couple of days ago)… it has now mysteriously disappeared from the Website… along with a bunch of other stuff that could be ordered / pre-purchased off the Website previously (Bon Voyage items – Celebrations - Romance Packages etc) :(

From what I can fathom (and you’ve confirmed by calling Celebrity) the Website is undergoing an overhaul. :confused:

Hopefully it doesn’t mean when things are relisted that there will be a price increase (but I suspect so… especially in light of the “short” reply that you got from Celebrity on the phone) :rolleyes:

Hope this info is helpful,

Cheers!

Thank you for your time and responses. I was really disappointed with 'X's response to me since the person I spoke to was my - 'Certified Vacation Planner (CVP) at Celebrity Cruises.' His main response was since I booked with a TA, they should inquiry and get the info for me. So, for this individual being a CVP, sorry. He will not get another call from me regardless. Has anyone had experiences with a CVP?

Thank you for your time and responses. I was really disappointed with 'X's response to me since the person I spoke to was my - 'Certified Vacation Planner (CVP) at Celebrity Cruises.' His main response was since I booked with a TA, they should inquiry and get the info for me. So, for this individual being a CVP, sorry. He will not get another call from me regardless. Has anyone had experiences with a CVP?

They have no ability to do anything that you can't do yourself.. It is a very feeble attempt at making it look like Celebrity is really interested in making your cruise better.....in other words, it's marketing hype.

Thank you for your time and responses. I was really disappointed with 'X's response to me since the person I spoke to was my - 'Certified Vacation Planner (CVP) at Celebrity Cruises.' His main response was since I booked with a TA, they should inquiry and get the info for me. So, for this individual being a CVP, sorry. He will not get another call from me regardless. Has anyone had experiences with a CVP?

A CVP is basically one of Celebrity's own travel agents. If you inquire about a specific cruise you have booked that is held by a travel agent they are not permitted to speak with you. You are better off calling Captain's Club and just asking a general question (i.e. not a question about your specific cruise that is held by a travel agent). CVP's primary duties are to book cruises and answer questions about specific cruises you have held with Celebrity - though some of them are not the most knowledgeable (like with many things, their quality varies).

Hi Asctony,

The $ 79 Package US (PLUS 15%) to dine at 3 Specialty Restaurants (with no repeats) was most certainly on the Celebrity Website 7 to 10 Days ago… it was shown in the CELEBRITY EXPERIENCES category, and from what I could see could indeed be purchased PRIOR to sailing. It was a good deal considering the 3 Restaurant's normal Cover Charge is $ 35 + $ 30 + $ 25 (PLUS 15%)

What 15% are you speaking of? There is no 15% added to specialty restaurant reservations. A portion of the cover charge goes to the servers as gratuity (approximately $5 is an educated guess) with the rest going to Celebrity to cover the increased food cost, the operating cost of the venue and profit. The 15% only applies to beverages that have a fee associated with them.

A CVP is basically one of Celebrity's own travel agents. If you inquire about a specific cruise you have booked that is held by a travel agent they are not permitted to speak with you. You are better off calling Captain's Club and just asking a general question (i.e. not a question about your specific cruise that is held by a travel agent). CVP's primary duties are to book cruises and answer questions about specific cruises you have held with Celebrity - though some of them are not the most knowledgeable (like with many things, their quality varies).

Thanks for your explanation. Never used a CVP and from my first experience, will not use one again. To me that was not a cruise specific question that my TA would have to answer. I felt it was something that should have been answered a different way. JMHO!

Thanks for your explanation. Never used a CVP and from my first experience, will not use one again. To me that was not a cruise specific question that my TA would have to answer. I felt it was something that should have been answered a different way. JMHO!

I would not let it impact your decision as to use one or not use one; it is just not a question they really are likely to know the answer to.

hey what is upp going on my first cruise and im new on website so can you help me and talk to me

Just off the Century and I purchased 3 meals in Muranos for $79..Good deal and there was no $15% added!

Highly recommend booking, the 3 meals at $79 (roughly $26.33+ per meal pp) is a good deal as another poster mentioned..

If they raise the prices I wld suggest they wld regret it but if they do, keep it to small increases spaced over a yr or 2..!!

I watched the diners coming & going as I always dine early and do not rush my meal (although I will if they are crowded of course - thats just courtesy) but can honestly say at no time during the evenings I was there were they ever that busy - Always had quite a few empty seats even at prime dining times - Any hefty increase in prices & more folks will stay away..

Not a good move if contemplated especially when u consider that Celebrity is already one of the most expensive specialty dining venues now...$35 compared to $30 at Carnivals Supper Club for example and they offer a dance floor and a 3 person quartet to play during dinner & later for dancing also for that money and even less on other cruiselines!!

Folks have less discretionary cash these days & special meals that must be paid for on a cruiseship when they have already paid for their meals, if too expensive can & wld be eliminated...

Of course, JMO but if I was Celebrity I wld think it over very carefully esp. with the worlds economies going the way they are..:(

U must have noticed the big discounting going on for Med cruises?

Have great cruisin' all!! :)

hey what is upp going on my first cruise and im new on website so can you help me and talk to me

What help do you need?

Are these packages purchased per person?

Yes, the prices are per person.

I would bet people are also willing to spend more on a better bottle of wine to go with that nicer specialty dinner, assuming they don't already have a drinks package. I know that is my plan. A top quality meal deserves a top quality wine. :)

hey what is upp going on my first cruise and im new on website so can you help me and talk to me

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

I took the liberty of looking at your other posts, and I think you don't really know how this forum works. Let me try to clue you in.

First off, you shouldn't be posting general questions on random threads in random forums. I understand you're on a Bermuda cruise sailing on July 2nd. First off, what cruise line and what ship? It does little good to post in Celebrity, Carnival and Royal Caribbean forums if you're sailing with Princess, for example.

To speak to people going on your specific cruise, go to the main board and look for the section titled "ROLL CALLS - Members Only" and select your cruise line. Next, look for your ship and select it. Now look for a thread already started with the date of July 2nd in the title. These are all the folks going on your particular cruise. Post there, get to know them, ask specific questions about that ship and ports of call.

You may want to browse some topics in the First Time Cruisers section, which you found already. These may answer some of your basic questions about cruising. If not, that's the place to post a specific question. Avoid general questions like, "Who wants to talk about cruising?" It's not appropriate to ask a question in a thread that's unrelated to your question, so if you can't find a thread already going on a particular topic, start a new thread. Look for the "New Thread" button to make post #1 of your new thread.

If you have some questions about your particular cruise line, the place to browse those threads in on the board for that specific cruise line.

Keep in mind that Cruise Critic is not a chat room-- each forum, subforum and thread is for posting on specific topics. That way, those who are trying to participate in conversations about one topic of interest don't have to sort through the chaff of many conversations going on at once.

Hopefully, this clears up some of the mystery on why no one's responding to you very much!

Sorry for the temporay hijack-- trying to help a newbie. Back to the specialty restaurant package discussion.

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Sorry for the temporay hijack-- trying to help a newbie. Back to the specialty restaurant package discussion.

Bless your heart - nice gesture...This is what CC is all about - thanks for reminding us!!

Have great cruisin'! :)

In April, you could purchase 3 dinners with wine for $239 per couple. This was on the Infinity.

We are going on the Infinity next week. Can you purchase this $239 package once on board?

Sounds like a good deal.

Certainly elsewhere there has been heavy marketing particularly on embarkation day

We are going on the Infinity next week. Can you purchase this $239 package once on board?

Sounds like a good deal.

As you walk into the buffet for lunch on boarding day, you will undoubtably find someone at or in front of a table marketing the specialty restaurants. And yes, the package is a great deal..with or without wine.

Speciality dining with Celebrity? We enjoyed it on the Solstice!! Here are more details on Murano, Silk Harvest and Tuscan Grille. Also, the visuals tell more about our enjoyable experiences with these three options. We got the three for $79 per person special and enjoyed this variety. The "same thing" in the same location at the same time is not our most desired situation.

You can see all of the details and lots of visuals on our June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that covered stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Had great weather and a wonderful trip. Lots and lots of special pictures with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., plus much on Barcelona are covered. These postings are now at nearly 13,000 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

TUSCAN GRILLE: We were here at 7 pm with a great view out the back of the Solstice as we departed from the main port near Pisa. After a visit to Lucca and other places in Tuscany, what’s better than to be in the Tuscan Grille? Be warned!!! The portion at this place are large and you need to plan and sample accordingly. You can get super stuffed here with very good food. The food and fun was almost too good here as I forgot to get more early pictures on many of the dishes we enjoyed. You’ll kind of get the idea that we liked it.

SILK HARVEST: We had a nice table next to the window for the sailing out from the harbor near Rome. We always like to be BOTH enjoying food and seeing interesting sights, other ships, etc. We had some Asian beers to start out our visit here.

MURANO: We dined there with Central Ohio friends Amy and Milt for our 39th Wedding Anniversary on June 17. It was very nice and elegant. Super special!! This is a wonderfully appointed room with nice wood, ceiling, glass, etc., details. Maximum capacity for seating in 90. For the last night, they had 30 people on a waiting listing. We booked ahead which was smart in order to get a specific date for our anniversary. The added charge for dining here is $35 per person if done separately.

Each location is very different and it is hard to say and quantify which might be called “best” for each person’s personal tastes, interests and style. Try all three, especially if they offer that three for $79 special. Sorry, we were so busy enjoying the food and setting at Tuscan Grille that I didn't get as many food pictures there. More visuals and details for Murano in the next post.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Doing dining “family-style” is especially fun in an Asian-style setting like Silk Harvest. That sharing of the experience adds to the fun and interest. This first course is called “small plates” and we started with a nice mix, including interesting sauces that added much to the enjoyment.

Personally, sushi has not been my big favorite, but they put together a nice variety of options and the waiter did an added sauce option that was great to test and vary the flavors. Testing new things is a good value/purpose for such cruises. Fun, also!!:

Here was our mix of “large plate” or main items during our Silk Harvest experience. This includes the wonderful Spicy Pad Thai, Chinese Pepper Steak, Salmont/Scallop Stir-fry, etc. :

Desserts were wonderful in Silk Harvest, including this Caramelized Banana with coconut ice cream. All low cal, right?:

For dolce or dessert, here is what the dark chocolate fondue appeared as you needed to tackle this “finish” at Tuscan Grille.:

This was the Tuscan Grille “Signature Creme Brulee” that I enjoyed.:

Murano? Very nice and elegant. Super special!! Below are some of my visual samples and details.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Here is an overview for this wonderfully appointed room with nice wood, ceiling, glass, etc., details.:

The “Creamy Maine Lobster Bisque” is one of their most popular starter items. It is far different from what is served on the rest of the Solstice. It involves seven hours prep time for the different items. The broth is poured into your bowl with nice drama . . . and great taste. There are ten different startr options. You can have as many courses of starters as you wish. I had a second starter of Diver Scallop Wellington-Style. The warm goat cheese souffle is also a popular item here. :

Three of us had the Murano Lobster as our main entrees. It is cooked and prepared table-side from lobster tails that are first presented table-side.:

And then the lobster is served!!!:

Three at our table went for the “Grand Marnier Souffle” with Creme Anglaise a la Grousse Tahitenne. It was loved so much, especially the sauce that poured in the middle.:

My choice was “Les VI Etoiles du Murano”. It is six different bite-sized desserts. My wife and I were going to share this one, but she switched for the souffle. I got this whole selection, but, don’t worry, I didn’t and couldn’t eat it all. Very delightlful!:

I don't recall if I saw this option available on the My Reservations section but I had downloaded a PDF for Wine & Dine Packages, that now seems to have disappeared from the website. The PDF has a note at the bottom about making your reservations once you board. But I sure would like to reserve in advance.

Great photos of the specialty restaurants. :)

Here is an overview for this wonderfully appointed room with nice wood, ceiling, glass, etc., details.

The “Creamy Maine Lobster Bisque” is one of their most popular starter items. It is far different from what is served on the rest of the Solstice. It involves seven hours prep time for the different items. The broth is poured into your bowl with nice drama . . . and great taste. There are ten different startr options. You can have as many courses of starters as you wish. I had a second starter of Diver Scallop Wellington-Style. The warm goat cheese souffle is also a popular item here.

Three of us had the Murano Lobster as our main entrees. It is cooked and prepared table-side from lobster tails that are first presented table-side.

And then the lobster is served!!!:

Three at our table went for the “Grand Marnier Souffle” with Creme Anglaise a la Grousse Tahitenne. It was loved so much, especially the sauce that poured in the middle.

My choice was “Les VI Etoiles du Murano”. It is six different bite-sized desserts. My wife and I were going to share this one, but she switched for the souffle. I got this whole selection, but, don’t worry, I didn’t and couldn’t eat it all. Very delightlful!:

Wonderful photos..and food - thanks so much for posting!

Shame the diners shown at the other table aren't even as well dressed as the waiters are but JMO..