Did Specialty Restaurants Price's Go Up?

[cherylroslyn]

Celebrity raised prices to increase revenue per passenger. They certainly discount aggressively on the ship. On my last cruise on the Eclipse, there was a female waiter that would stand at the entrance of Oceanview with a Qsine menu. She was offering two for one. She must have got a commission. There were always people promoting specialty restaurant specials and packages. I think the prices are still fair. In today's world, dining in a big city at a nice restaurant will always cost more than $100 for a couple.

For me the specialty restaurants break op the monotony of the MDR, or Blu. There is always a few nights where nothing on the posted menu looks great, so it's nice to have other options.

A cruise on Celebrity wouldn't be complete without at least one dinner in each of the restaurants. I just figure it's part of the cost of the cruise.

I agree....

 

 

Know someone mentioned that they can dine in Morton's or Capital Grille for that amount..... Not in my experience.....

 

5 courses, 6 if you count cheese, in Morton's or Capital Grille will easily run $100 per person.....

[YOW]

I can't speak to Morton's etc., but I presume their steaks and other ingredients are fresh, and probably of a higher quality. If we go to our favourite local establishment, one of the top rated restaurants in the city -- well, first off, we wouldn't have five or six courses, that's just something we'd do on a cruise. But that aside, for an app, entree, and dessert, plus and tax and tip, we're probably at around $75 per person (drinks notwithstanding). That's only slightly higher than the true price of Murano, factoring in what we've already paid for an MDR dinner (more if staying in AQ). But at that restaurant, all the ingredients are fresh and most are sourced nearby. The meats are probably of a higher grade than what is served on the ship, while the seafood is hand-selected. I could go on. And -- here's a bonus -- by opting for that restaurant over the ship's specialty dining, we would be 'deferring' some of our indulgence, saving it to break up the routine at home rather than having it all on one vacation.

 

Having said that, we haven't decided what we'll do. If the mood strikes us, we may go to Murano or another specialty venue while on a cruise (it has, or at least it had until recently, become part of our cruise experience). But we won't be booking in advance, we'll keep our eyes open for a promo, we'd very unlikely go more than once, and we'll reduce our beverage spend at that and other meals. Celebrity is running a business, and they can determine whether and how others' spending habits are affected by this latest price hike.

[Mary loves to travel]

glad for advanced planning - a few weeks ago, I booked Qsine for our Nov Reflection cruise, and while I thought the $40 per person a bit high at the time, glad it's not $45. Similar to many others on this board, I thought $80 add-on per couple (remembering we've already paid for dinners in the MDR) steep enough.

 

When we sailed Oasis during the inaugural season, it was our first experience on a ship with so very many specialties. We ended up eating away from the MDR, in specialty venues, 3 of our 7 nights. We went ahead an put the full recommended waiter & asst waiter tips onto our on board acct near the end of the week. The last night, in the dining room, our waiter was very appreciating, thanking us for "doing the envelopes, because I know you ate out several nights". This is their livelihood.

 

Mary

[slp123]

Looking at the pricing of Specialty Restaurants for my cruise on Reflection, I see that Murano and Qsine were raised to $45 but Tuscan remains at $35 and the Lawn Grill remains at $40.

[Cruiser21]

Looking at the pricing of Specialty Restaurants for my cruise on Reflection, I see that Murano and Qsine were raised to $45 but Tuscan remains at $35 and the Lawn Grill remains at $40.

 

Tuscan used to be $30

[laurenvit]

i wonder if this has anything to do with all of the promotions they've been offering lately.

 

they have to pay for all that free liquor somehow.

[Tampa Jim]

I did it to "mix it up", not because the Specialty Dining was a tremendous value. IMO, nothing is wrong with the MDR offerings. We booked one night in the Tuscan Grille in the dead middle of our upcoming cruise (7 night), nothing more. Of course, by booking it in advance, we were assured of our choice of dates/times/venues.

 

IMO, the increase is an area where X felt it would be endured. Advanced bookings aren't for the "budget minded", those folks wait until boarding to hunt the deals. If they find out that they are incorrect, they will reset the pricing. I wouldn't expect it to even be evaluated until at least six months have passed. That being said, $10/couple/night won't even begin to deter us from selecting a couple of nights to hit the Tuscan Grille and Silk Harvest on our following cruise (10 night).

[believer33323]

I see sometime porple taling about getting the 1/2 price promotions while on ship. What is the best way of finding these tidbit out??? I was on NCl last cruise and I asked at the service counter and they looked at me like I was crazy.

[SusieV]

We were amazed at how full Reflection's specialty restaurants were on the 2/23 sailing. We tried to move bookings around (on the Ultimate package) but were unable to do so because all the restaurants were fully booked unless you wanted to eat after 9pm.

 

So I guess people are booking at those prices!

[constantcruiser]

If we're celebrating a special occasion--birthday, anniversary, graduation, etc.--on a cruise, we'll continue to book a specialty restaurant for dinner that night. But for an average Tuesday night, it's just not worth the extra expense. In fact, on our last cruise on Eclipse, we actually found the service better in MDR than in Tuscan Grille.

[gelo7]

The specialty restaurants are nice. However, the MDR is very nice. Since my meals in the MDR are are included in my cruise fare, an additional $45pp is too much.

Ditto...

[excitedofharpenden]

The specialty restaurants are nice. However, the MDR is very nice. Since my meals in the MDR are are included in my cruise fare, an additional $45pp is too much.

I think a lot of the "value" of the Speciality restaurants is very dependent upon what the MDR food is like on a particular cruise. I've done Celebrity cruises where the food in the MDR is really very good (most latterly on Silhouette in December) and paying extra hasn't been a necessity except for the ambiance of a smaller dining venue. However I've been on two or three cruises where the food hasn't been great in the main dining room and I've been glad to pay extra to eat in another restaurant.

 

Phil

[Tony UK]

We have regularly dined in speciality restaurants and thats what they used to be - something really special. We had a 5 meal deal. On our most recent cruise on the Solstice the Tuscan grill was excellent in every way and well worth the money. Murano which is the past we have loved didnt live up to its reputation or our past experience.

We always understood that the slower service was because food was prepared freshly for you. Our daughter cannot have anything with alcohol and it was never a problem as the chef just cooked her choices without alcohol. On our last visit she was told she coulnt have most of the items as they were pre-prepared and it wasn't possible to change things. When our food was delivered we were so disappointed and it was clear that the quality had slipped badly - maybe due to the discounting and special offers?

 

We spoke with the manager and he just shrugged his shoulders. I then spoke with the concierge and explained what we had experienced. We then received a call inviting us to complimentary lunch which was back on form and excellent!

 

Do you think that you get the same experience when you book a package or a deal?

[bhughey]

Does anyone know why the 3-night specialty dining package is not available on the Silhouette or the Reflection? The only option is 4 or 5?

[Hawaiidan]

You can recoup that $5/pp by removing your auto gratuity and tipping your MDR staff in cash on the days you see them.

This cretes a lot of porblems for your staff fron dining room to cabin stewards Removing the auto tip pef flaggs your waiters, and cabin staff as to possible poor performance ...it hurts them. Puts then under evaluation and can affect their future employment.

 

Second, when you stop the auto tip, and tip in cash to your servers or cabin stewards they are required to turn in all that money or get fired.

I got this info direct from several cruise line people... not just one

 

Third, if you cant take a $10 here or a $5 there a day, then you might need to examine if you can afford to cruise at all. Dont put it on the backs of the hardworking staff to pay for your cruise. Thats pretty low in my book.

[HazyDavy]

Thanks for the input. Half of the reviews I read prefer Q-sine and half prefer Normandie :D I'm sure that it's great, but it's French cuisine, which I can find all over the Chicago area. There are fewer places doing molecular gastronomy so that makes Q-sine more unique to me.

 

I enjoyed my dinner at Q-sine but if you're expecting molecular gastronomy you're going to be disappointed. Q-sine is really more about quirky presentation than it is about deconstructing or re-imagining the food. Its a fun night, but the food itself, once you get past the presentation, is nothing special.

[Hawaiidan]

For the sake of argument here (since I don't go to specialty restaurants so this doesn't apply to me), is I'd remove the gratuities the last evening and tell the GS desk that I prefer to tip in cash. By dinner time, I would know how many nights I was in the MDR. I'd hand them an envelope the last night for $7/pp/day (more than the autotip mind you) that I was with them. For the days I was in specialty dining, I know my fee includes gratuities to the employees (who also work the daytime venues).

 

 

That $7 a day you gave them they have to turn it in or loose their job....plus as I said it puts a red flag on you and worse them as to possible poor performance.

 

You also burned the cabin attendents at the same time... as they have to turn in everything you give. And undergo the same evaluation.

 

I was on a 28 day cruise and let the auto tip ride...even though I only ate 7 times in the dining room and on those 7 times was very low key and not demanding. !

 

Cancel the auto tip and you hurt a lot of people you might not have intended to..... Or maybe you did... I dont know.:(

[MTemple212]

I feel that the fees in the specialty restaurants are getting out of hand. We were on Century to Hawaii last month and they wanted $40pp in Murano. That's $80 a couple! Not too long ago I thought the prices were more in the $20-30pp range. On our Hawaii cruise, the food was just fantastic in the main dining room so we didn't do a specialty restaurant.

[believer33323]

I see sometime porple taling about getting the 1/2 price promotions while on ship. What is the best way of finding these tidbit out??? I was on NCl last cruise and I asked at the service counter and they looked at me like I was crazy.

 

WOW, I really need to remember to use spell check before I post. Sorry about that.

 

Try again.

I see sometime people talking about getting the 1/2 price promotions while on ship. What is the best way of finding these tidbits out??? I was on NCl last cruise and I asked at the service counter and they looked at me like I was crazy.

[ladylemondrop]

I have just paid for a five dinner package on reflection, it was £90 which i think represents fantastic value for money, one dine at muranos, two in tuscan and one in lawn club and qsine i think. We really enjoy the speciality restaurants, they are one of the big attractions of the ship for us.

[durberville]

I feel that the fees in the specialty restaurants are getting out of hand. We were on Century to Hawaii last month and they wanted $40pp in Murano. That's $80 a couple! Not too long ago I thought the prices were more in the $20-30pp range. On our Hawaii cruise, the food was just fantastic in the main dining room so we didn't do a specialty restaurant.

 

Well it's now $90 per couple. I really think they're trying to entice people to buy the packages.

 

We were going to book Qsine just for the experience because it looks like fun, but not now....yes it's only another $10 but I've never felt the Specialty Restaurants are that much better than the MDR. We'll spend that $90 onshore. :)

[waterbug123]

I feel that the fees in the specialty restaurants are getting out of hand.

 

Frankly, I don't mind a $5 increase for some restaurants. We will continue to frequent them, as another $10 will not break us, and still allows us to enjoy the dining style that we prefer while cruising. And selfishly, I almost hope that the increase DOES cause some on the fence to stick to the MDR more frequently. As has been pointed out, it can be difficult at times, due to restaurant popularity, to get a reservation at a preferred time. Maybe if those who were willing to pay $40 but not $45 stop going, those of us who are willing to pay $45 will find scheduling easier. :D

[koolforkatz]

We can certainly afford the extra $5 per person. But it seems like for each increase in price there has been a slight decrease in quality. I would say the first time we went to Ocean Liners on the Connie several years ago when it was $20 or $25, it was probably the best experience we've had in a specialty restaurant and hasn't been matched since. The service and food was absolutely amazing and there was a harpist playing too. I haven't seen a musician in any of the restaurants for a couple of years now. In our experience that $20/$25 meal was far better than the last few times we've dined in specialty restaurants that cost increasingly more.

 

YMMD of course.

[cherylroslyn]

I enjoyed my dinner at Q-sine but if you're expecting molecular gastronomy you're going to be disappointed. Q-sine is really more about quirky presentation than it is about deconstructing or re-imagining the food. Its a fun night, but the food itself, once you get past the presentation, is nothing special.

I agree....the food is absolutely nothing special..... Its cutely served....but nothing special in my opinion......

[El_aurens]

We can certainly afford the extra $5 per person. But it seems like for each increase in price there has been a slight decrease in quality. I would say the first time we went to Ocean Liners on the Connie several years ago when it was $20 or $25, it was probably the best experience we've had in a specialty restaurant and hasn't been matched since. The service and food was absolutely amazing and there was a harpist playing too. I haven't seen a musician in any of the restaurants for a couple of years now. In our experience that $20/$25 meal was far better than the last few times we've dined in specialty restaurants that cost increasingly more.

 

YMMD of course.

 

I agree that an extra $5 per person is not onerous and I would not hesitate paying if I perceived that the experience of dining in the speciality restaurant was worth the additional $45 per person.

 

On our Equinox cruise in the Med we dined at the Tuscan Grille at 7pm, still bright daylight. It was June and we had departed one of the Greek Islands, the view from our table looking out the back of the ship was amazing. The food and service were also great and it was worth the additional $30 per person. We also went to Murano and Silk Harvest which we also enjoyed, but for some reason we didn't "perceive" the same value that we did with the Tuscan Grille.

 

For our Silhouette cruise in January, we didn't bother going to the Tuscan Grille. With it getting dark by 6pm, I was afraid without the scenic view that we wouldn't enjoy ourselves as much as our previous cruise.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that there a number of factors that help to determine if the additional cost is worth it to you.