Elite Specialty Restaurant Discount

[SCGirl3211]

It is my understanding that Elite and Elite Plus receive a percent discount for specialty restaurant bookings.  If true, how do you get the discount? If booking online it doesn't appear to note that you are Elite or Elite Plus to receive the discount.  Must you wait until boarding to receive the discount?  Any advice would be appreciated.

[cruisestitch]

You get it when you pay after the meal.  If you prepay online before the cruise it’s trickier so I always wait and pay for the meal at the end, in person, so the server can apply the discount.

[CTSRJS]

I am an Elite Celebrity member and just got off the June 2 Summit sailing. There was a sheet in our stateroom with available discounts for Elite members. Specialty Dining wasn't on it. We went down to Guest Services to make our reservation and we weren't offered any discount.

[keesar]

There is no discount for Elite Members at the Specialty Restaurants.  The discount for Elite Plus should be applied at the restaurant.  Won't hurt to remind the staff either....

[NutsAboutGolf]

40 minutes ago, SCGirl3211 said:

It is my understanding that Elite and Elite Plus receive a percent discount for specialty restaurant bookings.  If true, how do you get the discount? If booking online it doesn't appear to note that you are Elite or Elite Plus to receive the discount.  Must you wait until boarding to receive the discount?  Any advice would be appreciated.

 

11 minutes ago, CTSRJS said:

I am an Elite Celebrity member and just got off the June 2 Summit sailing. There was a sheet in our stateroom with available discounts for Elite members. Specialty Dining wasn't on it. We went down to Guest Services to make our reservation and we weren't offered any discount.

 

No discount for Elite, 15% for Elite Plus and 25% for Zenith

 

[Oceangoer2]

1 hour ago, SCGirl3211 said:

It is my understanding that Elite and Elite Plus receive a percent discount for specialty restaurant bookings.  If true, how do you get the discount? If booking online it doesn't appear to note that you are Elite or Elite Plus to receive the discount.  Must you wait until boarding to receive the discount?  Any advice would be appreciated.

It seems to vary by ship and restaurant attendant.  In one specialty restaurant, when we were leaving, the attendant told us he was 'trying to apply the 15% discount' for Elite +;  we found it on our account statement.  In other restaurants no mention of it was made by us or the server.  Out of curiosity, when we asked at the purser's desk what the usual process is, we were told we received the discount when we booked online prior to the cruise. Not sure if that's true as we only know what we paid not what the current charge was.  In every case we left our usual extra gratuity.  I think it's best to ask the server, if Elite + or Zenith, if the %% had been applied.

[helen haywood]

I ask up front when I make the reservation onboard.  I don’t want to have the dining experience marred by haggling about the discount at the end of the meal.

[mickey89]

43 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

………… In every case we left our usual extra gratuity.  

It must be galling leaving extra gratuity when Celebrity have put a further 18% gratuity on top of the previous gratuity.  
Soon the gratuity will be more than the cover charge…….!

[jelayne]

If you book pre cruise  in the Cruise Planner the discount isn't applied and you are charged the full price.  I tried calling to book and the rep said they could not apply the discount but that the MaitreD at the restaurant could take care of it.  Two restaurants and both MaitreDs said they would refund the  15 %.  We paid by credit card pre cruise  and we never got the discount to our cc or to our on board account.

 

Someone posted the other day there was a desk by Guest Services on boarding day where there was someone applying the discount  for those that had pre booked.

[Oceangoer2]

14 hours ago, mickey89 said:

It must be galling leaving extra gratuity when Celebrity have put a further 18% gratuity on top of the previous gratuity.  
Soon the gratuity will be more than the cover charge…….!

I'm speaking of the past.  Haven't cruised since the 18% was added.

[Oceangoer2]

14 hours ago, jelayne said:

If you book pre cruise  in the Cruise Planner the discount isn't applied and you are charged the full price.  I tried calling to book and the rep said they could not apply the discount but that the MaitreD at the restaurant could take care of it.  Two restaurants and both MaitreDs said they would refund the  15 %.  We paid by credit card pre cruise  and we never got the discount to our cc or to our on board account.

 

Someone posted the other day there was a desk by Guest Services on boarding day where there was someone applying the discount  for those that had pre booked.

That's interesting and helpful to know there's a guest services desk if one wanted to pursue the discount.  We always pre-book online to ensure our preferred time.  Never received any discounted price at the time of booking online over many years of cruising with X.  And only one time did a maitre d' apply it to our onboard account....  I suppose he saw our Elite + designation when he processed our dinner invoice...which was not asked for but appreciated.

[Oceangoer2]

14 hours ago, helen haywood said:

I ask up front when I make the reservation onboard.  I don’t want to have the dining experience marred by haggling about the discount at the end of the meal.

Wouldn't even think about 'haggling' (or asking) upfront or at the end of our meal for any discount.  It surprised us when a maitre d' did so of his own accord during one of our specialty dinings.  As I said in a prior post, we did ask about the process one time from the purser's desk and was told the price was discounted when we purchased online.  There are some who book the 3 etc night packages which are discounted, so maybe he was referring to that but not in our case.  No matter...a discount gets lost when you spend $$$$$ on your vacation.

[Redtravel]

Just another example of loyalty not counting.  
 

[miched]

I was told it can only be used once per cruise and is only for the first night of the cruise.   Haven’t used it as there is normally a 30 to 50% discount for a specialty restaurant for the first night. And it can’t be combined.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[jelayne]

Whoever told you that was mistaken, we used it mid cruise for lunch on the Apex.

We used it also on the Edge when we decided to go to Roof Top grill at the  last minute the only onboard discount was $5 so we used our E+ 15% which was $6.75😂

[Aunt Tina]

The only time I ate in the specialty restaurants was when I negotiated with the specialty dining room manager beforehand to get a 50% discount if I brought a group of 6 or 8.  It worked several times - but I haven't cruised since 2019.    It works on their less crowded nights.  Friends I met on board were interested in 50% off - I didn't have any problem getting people!

[hampshirelad]

Our experience as Elite plus - 15 % Discount

It makes it quite clear that "First Night Discounts " for example  cannot be combined with other Discounts ( Elite and Elite plus )

 

We do not purchase meal packages and I can see that is going to be a long conversation to get your discount and best sorted before the meal.

 

When dining as  Couple  or a Group and making the booking onboard. All people at the table will need to hand over their Cabin Card (if they are entitled) for the discount to be applied to each meal

 

There is a lack of understanding by the servers around this and so be prepared to stand your ground or make arrangements with the Restaurant manager to deal with it later.

[hcat]

3 hours ago, miched said:

I was told it can only be used once per cruise and is only for the first night of the cruise.   Haven’t used it as there is normally a 30 to 50% discount for a specialty restaurant for the first night. And it can’t be combined.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Not aware of  any such limit.

What does it say in your Welcome Letter?  Or chk with Cap Club onboard.

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

4 hours ago, miched said:

I was told it can only be used once per cruise and is only for the first night of the cruise.   Haven’t used it as there is normally a 30 to 50% discount for a specialty restaurant for the first night. And it can’t be combined.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

I don't think the 30-50% discount exists anymore; many have claimed you can receive a big discount on board but this no longer seems to be the case since the restart