20% off Specialty Dining

[Cruise Junky]

Hi - just received an e:mail to pre-book my first night at 20% off any of the specialty restaurants. I had planned to use the Specialty's for formal night as we're not taking formal wear. Will any specials be offered on board or will this be my opportunity for a sale? I know you can book a wine and dine package, but we're not that interested in Silk Harvest.

 

Thanks

[CCMS14]

This isn't really an answer to your question, but just wanted to let you know (since it came as a surprise to me), you don't get a discount on the actual cost of booking, the 20% is given back to you as OBC. The rep I spoke to on the phone suggested that this particular deal may be available on board but that is subject to availability.

[Cruise Junky]

This isn't really an answer to your question, but just wanted to let you know (since it came as a surprise to me), you don't get a discount on the actual cost of booking, the 20% is given back to you as OBC. The rep I spoke to on the phone suggested that this particular deal may be available on board but that is subject to availability.

 

Thanks, they mention that at the bottom of the e:mail.

[tak2]

Hi - just received an e:mail to pre-book my first night at 20% off any of the specialty restaurants. ...

 

Thanks

 

The special only applies to first night, right? So you can't use that rate for the sea days when formals are held. I am also going to Olympic for formal nights as well to simplify our packing, and am tossing between where to dine for embarkation night, hoping they offer a 50% discount onboard special.( most ships' first nights MDR is a zoo )

The package is of no use to you when there's a specialty restaurant that you do not favour. Celebrity has that well thought out.;)

[Cruise Junky]

The special only applies to first night, right? So you can't use that rate for the sea days when formals are held. I am also going to Olympic for formal nights as well to simplify our packing, and am tossing between where to dine for embarkation night, hoping they offer a 50% discount onboard special.( most ships' first nights MDR is a zoo )

The package is of no use to you when there's a specialty restaurant that you do not favour. Celebrity has that well thought out.;)

 

Hi there, long time no talk :)

[tak2]

Is this your first S-class cruise?

 

If so, I highly recommend Bistro on 5 for embarkation lunch. Oceanview Cafe has a design that creates intertwining people flow, resembling that of certain street intersections of Europe where cars can come at you from all directions, I watched and saw a few near accidents of people almost running others with their full food plates in hand. This is more evident when the cafe is so much fuller upon embarkation than other times during the cruise, when passengers are not yet out on deck nor in MDR.

[ghstudio]

The first comment is that formal night as implemented in real life only means a gentleman need to wear a sports jacket/blazer....and you don't actually have to be wearing it. Depending on your level of paranoia, you may or may not be bothered by all the folks you think are talking about you :) I never take anything more than a blazer...haven't for years and have never had even a small issue.

 

We also would not pay extra for Silk Harvest after trying it three times now, in fact we would not eat there if it were free (and that was offered us on the last cruise after we quietly and privately answered their "how was your meal?" as we left the restaurant which we answered honestly). To be fair, there are many that really like Silk Harvest...

 

On most cruises, they will offer that 20% discount on the first night if you ask. Additionally, if you find the right person, they may just offer you the 20% discount on all the reservations, without silk harvest....if you sign up for three special meals at the other restaurants but that's a coin flip. We have also been offered discounts at some of the various cooking events on board.

 

For your first day lunch, I suggest the one place that no one seems to have discovered yet...the aqua spa grill. Start your cruise eating healthy :)

[doglover214]

Do you get the email at a specific time prior to sailing?

 

We are going on Celebrity for the first time in December (Reflection). We are in concierge class. This is the first mainstream cruise we are taking. We have previously sailed on Crystal, Seabourn, Regent, and Silversea. I would love to get a discount on the specialty dining.

[TeaBag]

Hi - just received an e:mail to pre-book my first night at 20% off any of the specialty restaurants. I had planned to use the Specialty's for formal night as we're not taking formal wear. Will any specials be offered on board or will this be my opportunity for a sale? I know you can book a wine and dine package, but we're not that interested in Silk Harvest.

 

Thanks

I agree, skip Silk Harvest. Being from Vancouver where there are excellent Chinese restaurants, you will be disappointed. I would wait till I'm on board as they often offer discounted packages at the beginning of the cruise Some have even mentioned a 2 for 1 deal.

[Tomato53]

I think the offers vary with the amount of bookings for the specialty restaurants but here's our experience on the 4/28/12 Summit repo from San Juan to Bayonne:

 

-on the second day at lunchtime, our waiter in the Bistro on Five offered us a 2 for 1 special in Qsine (he also works in Qsine). We took him up on that deal.

 

-on the third day, we were approached in the buffet at lunchtime by a waiter from the Normandie and separately one from Qsine. Both were offering 20% off and a complementary glass of champagne. We decided to return to Qsine the next night as we had enjoyed it the first time. We declined the Normandie. We had enjoyed it in the past but wanted a more relaxed, less formal experience this cruise.

[tak2]

Thanks to all, I can certainly ask once onboard.

 

Tracy , I just thought of something pertaining to first night dining at Specialty restaurant. It's not a positive experience so I do not want to post here. You can email me.

[Travel Writing Mary]

The special only applies to first night, right? So you can't use that rate for the sea days when formals are held. I am also going to Olympic for formal nights as well to simplify our packing, and am tossing between where to dine for embarkation night, hoping they offer a 50% discount onboard special.( most ships' first nights MDR is a zoo )

The package is of no use to you when there's a specialty restaurant that you do not favour. Celebrity has that well thought out.;)

Is there a Bistro on 5 on that ship? can't remember. If so, USE IT.

[Kevnzworld]

On my recent Equinox sailing, they had a booth outside of the oceanview lunch buffet selling restaurant packages at a discount. $70 for all three, Tuscan grill, Murano and Silk Harvest. I liked Tuscan grill because of the view. The maitre d gave me a discount on each additional visit.

I agree with GHstudio, Silk Harvest should be replaced with Qsine, it's terrible ..

[Gran2five]

We also received a discount of 20% off of Embarkation night dinner if we reserved up to 4 days prior to sailing. This is for our cruise next June. I was a bit surprised that the offer would come so soon. We would rather visit the Speciality Restaurant on formal night, hopefully once onboard, we'll have an offer of a discount.

[Mermen]

Hi - just received an e:mail to pre-book my first night at 20% off any of the specialty restaurants. I had planned to use the Specialty's for formal night as we're not taking formal wear. Will any specials be offered on board or will this be my opportunity for a sale? I know you can book a wine and dine package, but we're not that interested in Silk Harvest.

 

Thanks

 

Hey Cruise Junky, today I just received the same invitation for our upcoming cruise. My guess is, "no". Our experience is that there were no other specials, like the 20% off...just the wine and dine (which is still a good value). Have fun!

[jerseygirl3]

Hi - just received an e:mail to pre-book my first night at 20% off any of the specialty restaurants. I had planned to use the Specialty's for formal night as we're not taking formal wear. Will any specials be offered on board or will this be my opportunity for a sale? I know you can book a wine and dine package, but we're not that interested in Silk Harvest.

 

Thanks

 

Just an FYI. When we were onboard Silhouette last month they requested that the dress for that evening be observed in all the dining venues except the buffet. If you are doing a specialty restaurant for formal night I would at least have DH wear a sports jacket.

 

Jo-Ann

[Buranogal]

Oh have already booked and paid for 3 x speciality restaurants so wonder if discount offered on boarding and I will get a credit?

[Cruise Junky]

Just an FYI. When we were onboard Silhouette last month they requested that the dress for that evening be observed in all the dining venues except the buffet. If you are doing a specialty restaurant for formal night I would at least have DH wear a sports jacket.

 

Jo-Ann

 

I don't think DH will be packing a jacket for this trip. In their e:mail received today part of their trying to convince me to book my specialty dining was the lack of formal attire needed and the Smart Casual every night so this would be a "spirited" discussion to say the least to try and enforce a jacket.

[jerseygirl3]

Oh have already booked and paid for 3 x speciality restaurants so wonder if discount offered on boarding and I will get a credit?

 

When they offered us a better deal last month on Silhouette, they allowed us to cancel our prepaid reservation and credited us back and then charged us for the discounted price.

 

Jo-Ann

[Redtravel]

Never prepay for the specialty restaurants. There are deals on board. Ask at the restaurants. We were comped and encouraged to try Qsine. I didn't know what to expect. I thought that then menu was weird and would have probably not have tried it. It was great...and on my next cruise, I'll eat there again.

[ghstudio]

Just an FYI. When we were onboard Silhouette last month they requested that the dress for that evening be observed in all the dining venues except the buffet. If you are doing a specialty restaurant for formal night I would at least have DH wear a sports jacket.

 

Jo-Ann

 

I doubt that was actually the policy.....perhaps you interpreted what they said incorrectly. If you have a copy of the daily that made that statement, please post it here.

 

Celebrity's policy is very clear on dress codes and while they can be lax in enforcement, no ship can decide to alter the dress code at a specialty restaurant.

 

I do not bring jackets on any cruise any more....I also don't eat in the main dining room any more because we book Aqua and eat occasionally at the specialty restaurants.

[ghstudio]

If you prepay for a specialty restaurant and the price changes due to an on board offering, they will adjust your cost with an OBC. If you want to dine at a certain time on a certain night, then definitely reserve it in advance. Yes, there will be slots available on board, but they may not be what you want.

[tak2]

If you prepay for a specialty restaurant and the price changes due to an on board offering, they will adjust your cost with an OBC.....

 

Good to know, as I will be in that situation soon.:)