Specialty Dining Packages No Longer Available

[lifeh2o4all]

We have enjoyed the specialty restaurants on many of our Celebrity cruises over the last few years after finding some of the MDR menus to be repetitive. 

 

We have several cruises booked theough 2026 and I don't see the dining packages we used to book, 5-10 nights, available for any of them.  I see an Unlimited Specialty Dining option and a 3 night option, but none of the others.

 

Did Celebrity announce a fleetwide change that I missed?  Any idea if those options might return?

[LB_NJ]

I don't know if it is fleetwide, however on an upcoming cruise they are only offering 3 night and unlimited.

[whitbob]

We have 4 cruises (2 B2B) booked for this year.  The X app does not offer dining packages for purchase.  The website for the cruises does offer unlimited and 5 night for the 12 night cruises.  The 9 night cruise on the website offers unlimited and 4 night.  One is Edge and the other Silhouette.

[lifeh2o4all]

1 hour ago, whitbob said:

We have 4 cruises (2 B2B) booked for this year.  The X app does not offer dining packages for purchase.  The website for the cruises does offer unlimited and 5 night for the 12 night cruises.  The 9 night cruise on the website offers unlimited and 4 night.  One is Edge and the other Silhouette.

I wonder if I need to use the website from my computer.   Been using my phone version of the website, not the app, and maybe more options show when on the full version.

[whitbob]

It is worth a try.  I was using an iPad and the website.  The first cruises start in March 2024.  We looked months ago, and there were more options for multi day packages.  There have had numerous sales, so I would have guessed they over sold packages, so they were dropping the options for us, but your cruises are 2 years out, so that logic doesn’t make sense.  Good luck, I hope you can find more options.

[jelayne]

I just checked 2 sailings and both have unlimite, the 11N has only 5 night package and the 9N has 4 night packages.  Looks like going forward dining package choices may be a package for about 1/2 the nights or unlimited.

[mahdnc]

8 hours ago, lifeh2o4all said:

We have enjoyed the specialty restaurants on many of our Celebrity cruises over the last few years after finding some of the MDR menus to be repetitive. 

 

We have several cruises booked theough 2026 and I don't see the dining packages we used to book, 5-10 nights, available for any of them.  I see an Unlimited Specialty Dining option and a 3 night option, but none of the others.

 

Did Celebrity announce a fleetwide change that I missed?  Any idea if those options might return?

 

Originally our 14 night Canal sailing (Summit, Apr 2024) had dining packages available for every number of nights, e.g. 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8 etc (something like that).  Back in October, someone on our roll call pointed out that our choices got trimmed down to 3 nights and unlimited.  It's been that way since.

 

[PelicanLvr]

More limited choices......"to serve you better".

[lifeh2o4all]

10 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

Originally our 14 night Canal sailing (Summit, Apr 2024) had dining packages available for every number of nights, e.g. 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8 etc (something like that).  Back in October, someone on our roll call pointed out that our choices got trimmed down to 3 nights and unlimited.  It's been that way since.

 

@mahdnc thanks for the information.  I guess I will just have to keep checking online periodically.  Not sure if I want to go "unlimited" but may try it on a ship that has the Lawn Club Grill as the filet mignon is fantastic and I could enjoy that more than once per cruise.

 

By the way, we followed you on the Solstice and had Faniry as a stateroom attendant.  I concur that she is a wonderful staff member and went out of her way to make sure everything was in order, even with the added cabins she was servicing.

[lifeh2o4all]

11 hours ago, jelayne said:

I just checked 2 sailings and both have unlimite, the 11N has only 5 night package and the 9N has 4 night packages.  Looks like going forward dining package choices may be a package for about 1/2 the nights or unlimited.

Those options (4 or 5 night) would probably work for us so I will keep checking online.  I may even risk a call to the CC line. Yikes.

[Viveash]

The availability of purchasing specialty dining packages with varying choices of multiple nights is no longer being offered.

We have a 15 night cruise coming up in October 2024 and can only purchase 5 night or unlimited specialty dining package. 
I checked this with the Celebrity onshore concierge, who confirmed this was correct.

[lifeh2o4all]

30 minutes ago, Viveash said:

The availability of purchasing specialty dining packages with varying choices of multiple nights is no longer being offered.

We have a 15 night cruise coming up in October 2024 and can only purchase 5 night or unlimited specialty dining package. 
I checked this with the Celebrity onshore concierge, who confirmed this was correct.

@Viveash thanks for providing that information.  Not sure I understand Celebrity's reasoning, but now I know what is happening.

[hrhdhd]

Can one buy several of the 3-night (for instance) packages?

[jean87510]

6 minutes ago, hrhdhd said:

Can one buy several of the 3-night (for instance) packages?

We did it one time on the Summit as the price was cheaper than an unlimited.  We were on a port intensive 7 day and did 2 (3) night dining.  Yes, we missed one day but the unlimited was useless because we were in port every day.  I don't think you can add both at once.  I think we bought the 1st then went back and bought the 2nd.  

[NMTraveller]

Does the unlimited cover lunch?

[gerelmx]

Also no more first day 30% discount at Murano and other specialty restaurants

 

Edited January 20 by gerelmx

[MarinaGrande]

I think it is somewhat capacity controlled and changes periodically.  When you see it, book it.  You can always cancel before sailing if you change your mind.

[MarinaGrande]

Unlimited does include lunch when available, sea days mostly.

[mahdnc]

4 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

Does the unlimited cover lunch?

 

According to the title, yes.

Edited January 20 by mahdnc

[goofysmom99]

I just now checked my Silhouette 13-night November 2024 TA.  I had used OBC for a 10-night package back on Aug 30th during the Labor Day 30% flash sale ($356).  Today, 5-night and unlimited are the only options and cost more.  When I bought the package, unlimited wasn't an option but the nightly combos (1-night thru 13-nights) were.  The flash sale covered packages up through 10 nights so that's what I booked.  Ten weeks later, in November, I had my agent reprice the cruise and lost much of my OBC.  Fortunately, X allowed me to use my credit card to make up the shortage and keep the package.  Whew, because I'm certain I'll never see either that package/price again.

[mahdnc]

27 minutes ago, goofysmom99 said:

I just now checked my Silhouette 13-night November 2024 TA.  I had used OBC for a 10-night package back on Aug 30th during the Labor Day 30% flash sale ($356).  Today, 5-night and unlimited are the only options and cost more.  When I bought the package, unlimited wasn't an option but the nightly combos (1-night thru 13-nights) were.  The flash sale covered packages up through 10 nights so that's what I booked.  Ten weeks later, in November, I had my agent reprice the cruise and lost much of my OBC.  Fortunately, X allowed me to use my credit card to make up the shortage and keep the package.  Whew, because I'm certain I'll never see either that package/price again.

 

Good for you, Ruth, and Silhouette is a great ship to buy the package for.

[lifeh2o4all]

11 hours ago, hrhdhd said:

Can one buy several of the 3-night (for instance) packages?

Yes, but our experience is that the price is much higher per meal when buying the 3 night package.  We have purchased 8 to 10 night specialty dining packages for around $35 to $40USD (including gratuities) per meal during flash sales in the past.  Most 3 night packages look like they are in the range where it might be best to wait until onboard and check if they are offering any discounts.  At least the ones we see now are that price.

[lifeh2o4all]

5 hours ago, goofysmom99 said:

I just now checked my Silhouette 13-night November 2024 TA.  I had used OBC for a 10-night package back on Aug 30th during the Labor Day 30% flash sale ($356).  Today, 5-night and unlimited are the only options and cost more.  When I bought the package, unlimited wasn't an option but the nightly combos (1-night thru 13-nights) were.  The flash sale covered packages up through 10 nights so that's what I booked.  Ten weeks later, in November, I had my agent reprice the cruise and lost much of my OBC.  Fortunately, X allowed me to use my credit card to make up the shortage and keep the package.  Whew, because I'm certain I'll never see either that package/price again.

Your description matches our experience last year.  Good to know that Celebrity honored the deal even with the re-price.