Is it worth booking Lawn Club Grill on Silhouette before going away?

[davewg59]

At present it is showing as £36 per person

 

 

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[jelayne]

We love the Lawn Grill and normally get a better discount on the ship if we are only doing 1 or 2 nights in a speciality restaurant.

[funship freddy]

Very much worth it. Probably discounts available on board.

 

 

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[DaKa2002]

Loved the "outside" dining, service and food - ate there twice during our British Isles Silhouette cruise. Great deals (discounts) once on board.

[dgcruises]

What is best way to approach booking specialty restaurant on board to get a discount?

 

Do you try as soon as on board where I understand they are set up to sell specialty packages or approach the individual restaurant and plead your case for a nice discount?

[Hlitner]

What is best way to approach booking specialty restaurant on board to get a discount?

 

Do you try as soon as on board where I understand they are set up to sell specialty packages or approach the individual restaurant and plead your case for a nice discount?

 

We use several different strategies. You will sometimes find staff trying to "sell" alternative restaurants...often at the pool side entrance to the Lido buffet at breakfast and lunch. Be nice, smile, and listen to their "pitch." Then say something like " I would love to go to such and such restaurant if I could get 50% off." They might laugh...or they might counter with something like "we might be able to get you 30% off." Keep it to a very friendly negotiation and perhaps it works...and sometimes it does not!

 

Another strategy is often quite successful. We will simply walk up to a restaurant and quietly (with nobody else within ear shot) ask if they have any discounts. Sometimes we will be told no. But many times we might be told that if we are willing to dine at 8:30 on such a such night we can give you 30% off. Again, its a negotiation. If you are insistent at dining at 7pm on a certain night you lose your negotiating leverage.

 

And finally, we have had a lot of success simply asking our waiters when in alternative restaurants. For example, when dining in Murano (on the Eclipse) last December, our waiter tried to convince us to return to Murano on another day. DW would not make a commitment, but did mention that she would love to dine in Qsine if we could get 50% off. The waiter said he would see what he could do and went to phone Qsine. He was back in 5 minutes and said we could have 50% Off if we dined at Qsine the following night after 8.....which we did.

 

Hank

[Orator]

What is best way to approach booking specialty restaurant on board to get a discount?

 

Do you try as soon as on board where I understand they are set up to sell specialty packages or approach the individual restaurant and plead your case for a nice discount?

The length of the cruise may determine the percentage of discount as the discounts are based on the number of reservations. No discount if there is a high demand. Perhaps up to 50% off if they need to fill some seats.

They usually offer a discount when they do a presentation like "How to make the perfect steak" at the Lawn Club. You could always ask the Maitre 'd what they can do for you and you might be surprised at what they offer.

[mnocket]

IMHO $36 is a decent price. Might you be able to get an even better discount on board? Perhaps, but maybe not. I'd probably just go ahead and lock in the booking and never worry whether or not I could have saved a few more bucks by booking on board. The Lawn Club Grill is our favorite.

[ECCruise]

IMHO $36 is a decent price. Might you be able to get an even better discount on board? Perhaps, but maybe not. I'd probably just go ahead and lock in the booking and never worry whether or not I could have saved a few more bucks by booking on board. The Lawn Club Grill is our favorite.

 

That's because it is not $36. the OP said it was £36 which converts to almost $46, which I would never consider a good price.

[Mr. Click]

On our last cruise on the Millennium in March our waiter in the MDR told us several times that if we wanted to go to the specialty restaurants he could get us 30% off any night and just let him know. We decided we wanted to go, asked him about it again and when he said 30% off...we said "Can you do us better?". He said he would check and came back with BOGO so it was 50% off. We only did the Tuscan Grille and it was pretty empty the two times we went. So, just ask.

[dgcruises]

That's because it is not $36. the OP said it was £36 which converts to almost $46, which I would never consider a good price.

 

Yes and for us Canadian's its even worse, just under $50 in our money. $100 plus for 2 when you factor in a tip is pricey when you already are paying over $500 a day per couple for the cruise.

[shipshape sam]

Yes and for us Canadian's its even worse, just under $50 in our money. $100 plus for 2 when you factor in a tip is pricey when you already are paying over $500 a day per couple for the cruise.

 

And Celebrity does appreciate your contribution to their bottom line.

 

Still, we have seen nice offers onboard. We seem to find the first night as a great opportunity. Messes up MDR fixed dining and not meeting table mates on first night though, if that is your dining selection.

[Orator]

Each Maitre 'd in a specialty restaurant is given a target number prior to the start of the cruise. They are judged on making or missing the target. Make it and you advance Miss it enough and you're gone. They will do what they need to do to make their numbers. That's why you can negotiate price on most cruises. Exception: Cruises less than a week where there is a concentrated demand.

[Oville]

Each Maitre 'd in a specialty restaurant is given a target number prior to the start of the cruise. They are judged on making or missing the target. Make it and you advance Miss it enough and you're gone. They will do what they need to do to make their numbers. That's why you can negotiate price on most cruises. Exception: Cruises less than a week where there is a concentrated demand.

 

Wow Charles, I know you can get some deals while onboard but I never thought it was this cutthroat. To be honest, it's a bit upsetting.:eek:

 

Thanks for the info, not sure I'll think of Celebrity the same anymore.:( I may register a complaint with LLP now that this practice is public knowledge.

 

Katie

[kimlovesfl]

So tell me, why would I pay for the Lawn Grill when I'm essentially cooking my own food? I don't even cook at home, that's what husbands are for? I don't get it. We have a pancake restaurant at a state park here in Florida, that is very popular, but you cook your own pancakes. You sit at a grill with batter and make your own. Uh, no thanks. Someone needs to do that for me if I'm paying to eat out.

[happy 2 b cruising]

So tell me, why would I pay for the Lawn Grill when I'm essentially cooking my own food? I don't even cook at home, that's what husbands are for? I don't get it. We have a pancake restaurant at a state park here in Florida, that is very popular, but you cook your own pancakes. You sit at a grill with batter and make your own. Uh, no thanks. Someone needs to do that for me if I'm paying to eat out.

You do not have to cook your own food :D It is a great restaurant, give it a try.

[kimlovesfl]

You do not have to cook your own food :D It is a great restaurant, give it a try.

 

That's good to know. We'll decide which, if any, specialty restaurants to try once we board. I will most definitely try to get discounts, because I think their upcharge is too high.

[BEAV]

We dined at the Lawn Club three times on this Spring's Transatlantic (Silhouette). Each time we negotiated 50% off with the Maitre'd on board and did not reserve in advance pre-cruise. But as others have stated, the longer the sailing, the better the chance of larger percentage discounts. Also, be willing to be flexible with your dining times.

[DaKa2002]

So tell me, why would I pay for the Lawn Grill when I'm essentially cooking my own food? I don't even cook at home, that's what husbands are for? I don't get it. We have a pancake restaurant at a state park here in Florida, that is very popular, but you cook your own pancakes. You sit at a grill with batter and make your own. Uh, no thanks. Someone needs to do that for me if I'm paying to eat out.

 

I like to go to the salad bar and make my own salad at the Lawn Grill; DW likes them to bring her salad to her (she likes to be waited on when we eat out!) . Their experts chefs will prepare your meal just like you ask them to do - I liked my thick steak 'butterflied' and it was perfectly cooked. Loved the hot desert too (loads of calories to work off in the gym the next morning.)