Specialty Restaurant Price Increase Email From My TA

[TelecasterPlayer]

I haven't done this myself, so YMMV, but I read on another thread that you can call Celebrity and make your reservation through them and it will work as if you made your reservation on the ship - charged to your OBC. If you reserve online, you need to pay in advance.

 

I'm curious to know if anyone else has done this.

 

I have made no-cost specialty restaurant reservations for several cruises now. You have to be a Captain's Club member and you get one complimentary no-charge upfront reservation per cruise. Just call the Captain's Club with the restaurant/date/time you want, and you'll get a confirmation email for your records.

 

This would not help saving money before the price increase though as you pay the charge that is in effect when you dine.

 

You can make the reservation in advance and pay with your OBC though.

[PatC]

Telecast - I believe that you meant to say if you're in a suite you get a complimentary dinner. We've been Elite for years and unless you are in a suite you do not get a free dinner being a Captain's Club member. If this has changed in the past month please let us know. I'd love to have a free dinner in the Tuscan Grill.

 

Captain's Club members have never automatically been given this perk.

 

Pat C

[Orator]

Don't think that anyone said that Elite's get a free dinner. What was said, as I understand it, was that if you are Elite you can prebook one dinner at a specialty restaurant without paying for the reservation in advance. If you are not Elite you need to pay the full amount of the reservation at the time of booking if you choose to book in advance. You cannot use an OBC if you make an advanced booking, but could use if if you pay while onboard.

[cruzeluver]

Here is what was stated by TelecasterPLayer (note words in bold):

 

I have made no-cost specialty restaurant reservations for several cruises now. You have to be a Captain's Club member and you get one complimentary no-charge upfront reservation per cruise. Just call the Captain's Club with the restaurant/date/time you want, and you'll get a confirmation email for your records.

 

This would not help saving money before the price increase though as you pay the charge that is in effect when you dine.

 

You can make the reservation in advance and pay with your OBC though.

 

So if this is accurate, it means any Captain's Club member could make an advance specialty restaurant reservation through Captain's Club but would not have to pay for it until on board.

[Orator]

Correct.

[TelecasterPlayer]

Telecast - I believe that you meant to say if you're in a suite you get a complimentary dinner. We've been Elite for years and unless you are in a suite you do not get a free dinner being a Captain's Club member. If this has changed in the past month please let us know. I'd love to have a free dinner in the Tuscan Grill.

 

Captain's Club members have never automatically been given this perk.

 

Pat C

 

No, I didn't say anything about a free meal. I said that you can make a reservation for a Specialty Restaurant by calling the Captain's Club and you don't have to pre-pay for the reservation. You pay once you dine on the ship. You get one free complimentary reservation per sailing. Any more reservations and you have to pay for the specialty restaurant at the time of reservation.

[TelecasterPlayer]

Don't think that anyone said that Elite's get a free dinner. What was said, as I understand it, was that if you are Elite you can prebook one dinner at a specialty restaurant without paying for the reservation in advance. If you are not Elite you need to pay the full amount of the reservation at the time of booking if you choose to book in advance. You cannot use an OBC if you make an advanced booking, but could use if if you pay while onboard.

 

It's not just for Elite members. If you are a Classic, Select or Elite member, you can make one reservation per cruise without paying upfront.

[TelecasterPlayer]

Here's an example of a confirmation email that I have received from the Captain's Club for our past April2011 sailing:

 

CaptainsClubSpecialtyDining <CaptainsClubSpecialtyDining@celebrity.com>

To:

Sent: Tue, Mar 29, 2011 5:51 pm

Subject: 04/09/11 Celebrity Eclipse Specialty Restaurant Confirmation

 

Captain's Club #

 

RE: Specialty Restaurant Confirmation

 

Dear Ms. ,

 

Thank you for your recent call to the Captain's Club. It is always a pleasure to hear from our most loyal guests. Your request for a reservation at the Eclipse's Tuscan Grille Restaurant has been confirmed.

 

Listed below is your confirmation information:

Date for Dining: April 19, 2011

Time for Dining: 6:30 p.m.

Total Number of Guests in Dining Party: Two

 

Note: The maximum table size is six guests per table. Guests will be charged the appropriate Restaurant fee onboard at the time of dining. Proper dining attire is required. The Dining experience onboard can take up to two-and-a-half hours, depending on the Restaurant you select. Additional Specialty Restaurant reservations may be booked on our website at www.celebritycruises.com and once onboard and are on a first come, first serve basis.

 

Ms. , we look forward to welcoming you, our valued Select Captain's Club member, onboard soon.

[Orator]

Appreciate the clarification. I sometimes type "Elite" out of habit and forget about the other groups.

[BEAV]

We had booked Murano in advance for our 39th wedding anniversary and added the other two when the offered the three for $79 special.

 

Does the 3-for-$79 deal allow you to dine every time in Murano if you wish, or do you have to visit 3 separate restaurants?

[uktog]

you have to visit one of each of the restaurants on Solstice class - not sure the position on M class ships

[boogs]

Does the 3-for-$79 deal allow you to dine every time in Murano if you wish, or do you have to visit 3 separate restaurants?

 

Here's the link to the Celebrity info on the wine and dine packages. http://media.celebritycruises.com/celebrity/content/celebrity/en_US/cel_pdf/Wine_Dine_Final.pdf

[Gonzo70]

Looks like your TA may be right; somebody just started another thread saying they received e-mail correspondence from Celebrity with information about 9/1/2011 price increases for specialty dining.

[Orator]

So when they offer a 20% off it will be $32 pp. My guess is that bookings may be down and they'll offer these more frequently to fill the room. At least, that's my hope.

[excitedofharpenden]

I did the $79 three restaurant package on Solstice and have decided I won't do it again. Aside from the inflexibility in having to eat at each one of the three (I'd rather eat at Murano a couple of times and skip Tuscan) they started offering discount on the singular price anyway which negated somewhat the idea of booking a package and saving money, not that that was the main driver for me. Just thought I'd give it a go and book the dining times all in one go.

 

Phil

[StarTrkGeek]

It is doubtful the price would change mid cruise. If (and that is a very big if) the prices are going up, it would likely start on the first full sailing in September (i.e. if a ship was sailing on one itinerary from August 27-September 4, the new increase would likely take effect at the start of the next cruise that begins on September 4). I am somewhat skeptical though the prices are going up; Celebrity did fairly recently raise the prices and they are currently higher than most similar venues on other ships.

I just called Celebrity's Customer Service Dept and confirmed that prices are going up by $5 in Tuscan Grill, Murano, and Qsine, but NOT in Silk Harvest.

Alan

[Welland]

Looks like your TA may be right; somebody just started another thread saying they received e-mail correspondence from Celebrity with information about 9/1/2011 price increases for specialty dining.

 

This is what I started on another thread:

 

This is the e-mail I received from Celebrity Customer Service answering my question about dining increases as of September 1, 2011.

 

Quote:

 

In regards to your inquiry, the service fees for the following specialty restaurants will increase from $35 to $40 after September 1, 2011:

 

Murano

Qsine

Lawn Club Grill

Oceanliner's

SS United States

RMS Olympic

Normandie

 

Thank you for choosing Celebrity Cruises.

[StarTrkGeek]

Here's the link to the Celebrity info on the wine and dine packages. http://media.celebritycruises.com/celebrity/content/celebrity/en_US/cel_pdf/Wine_Dine_Final.pdf

Where does it tell you the price?

Alan

[cruise kitty]

So now the OBC they offer for booking a future cruise while on board is less valuable... we still have our $200, but it won't buy us the same amount of specialty restaurants as it did before.

[boogs]

Where does it tell you the price?

Alan

 

Sorry, no prices there. The prices were posted on a thread somewhere, but unfortunately I don't remember where. I posted the web site page as a reply to a poster wondering which restaurants were part of the package.

[tomcruiser1234]

We are on the infinity Sept 26 Canal Cruise, went ahead and booked 3 dinners at the $35 price. If we waited till after Sept 1st price was $40.

 

We did it online after I called to see how we can get the wine package discount. I was told we can choose wines when on board and then they will credit discount. Received the invoice and its $35.

 

Book now and you got $10 for an extra tip if ya like.

[Albert Ross]

I just called Celebrity's Customer Service Dept and confirmed that prices are going up by $5 in Tuscan Grill, Murano, and Qsine, but NOT in Silk Harvest.

Alan

Who ever you spoke to was wrong - TG is not going up in price.

 

The following 7 rise to $40pp

Murano

Qsine

Lawn Club Grill

Oceanliner's

SS United States

RMS Olympic

Normandie

[Shep_Proudfoot]

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:

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

 

So it sounds like if you have made advance reservations for specialty restaurants you can sign up for the 3X specialty restaurant package once onboard, assuming it is offered, and get the package price? I just booked two specialty restaurants in advance and was planning on doing the third but didn't want to lock in a time or date, it would be great if that was an option.

[gosport11]

Seems like one instead of three for us,:(:(:mad:

[boogs]

Seems like one instead of three for us,:(:(:mad:

 

If the price was $35 for each restaurant and you went to all three, the total would be $210 for two people. If the price goes up by $5, it's now $80 for one restaurant, and $160 for two. If you were OK with that total price point of $210, you'd still be able to go to two of them for $160 and stay well under it. Why the need to cut down to only one from three?