Ultimate Specialty Dining Package ~~ Please Convince Me

[Stem to Stern]

I see this is available for purchase in the cruise planner for my 4-night Silhouette cruise.  Did Celebrity just bring back this option?  With the 30% Black Friday Savings it is regularly $246 per person on sale for $171.99 per person.  I think it is a great value.  I already have Lawn Club Grill booked with the first-night discount, so I would cancel that.  Thinking LCG, Tuscan, and twice at Murano along with lunch on the sea day at The Porch.  Staying in a regular verandah and I like the idea of elevating the dining experiences this cruise.  This happens to be the second annual Tampa Bay Bucs cruise, so I am somewhat concerned about availability of dining venues.  But I would think only venues like the Sky Lounge or Cellar Masters would be affected by this non-chartered group.  Disclaimer:  I am not on this sailing because I am a Bucs fan.  I will definitely RUN to make dining reservations the moment we step on board.  Any thoughts?

 

Fine print from Celebrity....

 

Overview

Embark on a culinary journey with an Unlimited Dining Package. Enjoy access to specialty dining every night, plus lunch on sea days—so you’ll have even more chances to enjoy menus crafted by our Michelin-starred chef. Elevate your vacation to new heights of flavor and save.

Highlights

• Purchasing this package secures the package price, but the restaurant reservation time and venue must be made onboard. To make a reservation, simply visit any Specialty Dining Restaurant or Specialty Dining Reservation host stand on the first day of your cruise. Our Hosts will be there to assist you in making all of your Specialty Dining Reservations.

What's Included

• Specialty dining every night of your sailing and lunch on sea days.
• For restaurants with a la carte pricing only, a food credit* will be provided.
• The Unlimited Specialty Dining Package can be used at the following dining experiences and restaurants for ships with these venues with a surcharge**: Chef’s Table ($60), Dinner on the Edge ($50), Le Voyage° ($20)
• The following tasting menus for ships with these venues can be added to the Unlimited Specialty Dining Package with a surcharge**: Le Voyage Tasting Menu°($50), Murano Five Senses Tasting Menu ($40), Eden Tasting Menu ($25)
• *A food credit in the amount of $30 for lunch (sea days only) and $50 for dinner will be provided at the following a la carte specialty restaurants: Sushi on Five and Raw on Five. Food credit amounts are subject to change at any time and without notice. Please visit the host stand at your selected specialty dining restaurant onboard your sailing for current food credit amounts. **Surcharge is subject to change at any time and without notice. Please visit the host stand at your selected specialty dining restaurant onboard your sailing for current surcharge amounts. ° An additional surcharge will be applied for the Le Voyage Tasting Menu.

Important details and advisements

• Specialty dining packages and restaurants are based on availability and may not be offered on every voyage.
• Specialty dining packages include restaurant cover charge only, per person. Additional items such as beverages, menu supplements, food & wine pairings and gratuities are not included. A 20% gratuity is added to at the time of purchase.
• Specialty dining packages are not combinable with Captain’s Club discounts, promotions, or any other offers.
• Packages and reservations are subject to change, availability, are not transferable and cannot be shared with any other guest.
• Orders can be cancelled through My Celebrity Cruise up to 48 hours before the sail date and are 100% refundable.
• Any partial package consumption will be charged at full price.
• Specialty dining packages are not redeemable for cash and will expire if not used by 10:00PM on the last evening of your sailing.
• Guests are limited to one reservation per dining time and must cancel existing reservations before booking a new one.
• Prices for surcharges are in USD.

Edited November 21, 2023 by Stem to Stern

[mrgabriel]

If this was me, I would give it a pass. Too many times we've bought the specialty dining packages and wound up with 9 pm reservations - which is just too late for me. But if you're okay with eating late or not getting your choice of restaurants then it is probably a good value. 

[Tyler414]

It also shows in my upcoming cruises, but doesn't allow me to book it, says its sold out in all my upcoming cruises...

[AndyCapn]

18 minutes ago, Tyler414 said:

It also shows in my upcoming cruises, but doesn't allow me to book it, says its sold out in all my upcoming cruises...

Try calling. I was in the same situation with online booking, but was able to book it over the phone when I tried this morning.

[someguyfl]

I'd agree with the other comment about packages resulting in late reservations.

 

Personally, I prefer to sit down for my dinner some time between 5 and 7. I'd strongly prefer to be DONE with dinner by 8 or 8:30 at the latest. Many times the only reservations available are at 9 with these packages.

 

Also, Personally, as someone who is typically either in Aqua class or Retreat class, I'd prefer Blu/Luminae over all of the "Speciality" restaurants except for Murano, Fine Cut, or The Chef's Table. Not interested in Tuscan or Lawn Club, which I personally find to be inferior to Blu/Luminae.

Also note that when I am in Blu/Luminae on S-Class, I do sometimes order from the MDR menu, too.

 

I've personally never tried the Sushi on celebrity, so maybe that's good ... it's always seemed to me like a really strange idea when you know that logistically it would be difficult to get fresh deliveries every day.

[wanderlust58]

We’re on the Constellation now. Based on the MDR food, I’d seriously consider the specialty restaurants.  Our first time eating elsewhere (we usually eat at Blu), and it’s been pretty bad.  Cold food, poor service and, frankly it just doesn’t taste that good.  I have noticed, though, that a few items on the Tuscan menu have also appeared on the Blu menus, so there is a bit of overlap.  At Tuscan at least, the food was still hot (on hot plates) when it arrived at our table.  Not the case in the MDR.  On previous cruises, we gave Murano a try, but weren’t impressed.  On Connie, it’s Petit Chef, sushi or Tuscan.  We gave Petit a second chance this cruise.  Cute show, but once was enough for us. The tiny lobster portion did not merit the high price.  Sushi at sea seems iffy to us, so we save that for home.  I hear you on wanting to eat early.  I was not able to book early seatings online, but I called Captains Club when buying the package deal, and they were able to book 6 pm reservations for 4 nights, and we were only a few weeks from sailing.  It was weird.  There were plenty of tables at 6 each night (and they were still vacant at 7 - 7:15 when we left).  I didn’t understand the early reservation unavailability.

[Stem to Stern]

We are fine with eating late every night.  This sailing is on Silhouette.  Le Petit Chef does not interest us in the least.  Murano is my favorite.  DH prefers Tuscan.  We have never done Lawn Club Grill or The Porch.  If I decide to pull the trigger I will have to get on the phone.  As posted above, my sailing's cruise planner indicates "We're stuffed..." (Ugh!) once you select a passenger, so no booking online.  Now I remember this was the exact same availability scenario previously when the cruise planner showed a 3-night package which has since disappeared.

[mahdnc]

It is available for our 14 night canal sailing (and bookable).  However the cruise is on Summit where the restaurant choices are limited.

 

 

 

[Stem to Stern]

1 hour ago, mahdnc said:

and bookable

Thank you for the bump.  I rechecked my Silhouette sailing and now it is in fact bookable.  Mine is only 35% off.  But at least I have more dining choices to consider than Summit.  Yay!  Would you suggest I call it in so I can make my reservations ahead of time?

[Ex-Airbalancer]

We are getting only 6% off on our cruise , and it cost more than what we paid for a balcony  on the Equinox 🤣

it was removed from the cart 

[Stem to Stern]

8 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

it cost more than what we paid for a balcony

Yikes!  And that price does not include the additional 20% for gratuities. 🤪

[Cruise a holic]

While we love specialty dining- The price has to be ok for us.  Perhaps you can swing a dinner and lunch in a specialty restaurant.  We typically have cruise credit and use it for specialty dining.  Enjoy your cruise.

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, Stem to Stern said:

Thank you for the bump.  I rechecked my Silhouette sailing and now it is in fact bookable.  Mine is only 35% off.  But at least I have more dining choices to consider than Summit.  Yay!  Would you suggest I call it in so I can make my reservations ahead of time?

 

Not sure what you meant by your question.  If calling it in allows you to make reservations ahead of time, then by all means I would do it.