Ultimate Specialty Restaurant Package Review

[PelicanLvr]

My wife and I returned recently from the January 12-26 Eclipse sailing. We purchased the “ULTIMATE SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE” and it was GREAT! Please ask any questions. Here’s our story about it:

Pre-cruise: This was about our 7th X cruise and we love their specialty restaurants. Knowing that we wanted to eat in one just about every night we pre-booked (and paid full price for) 12 nights in the specialties. We did this to ensure that we ate where and when we wanted to. Prior to boarding we were completely unaware of the “ultimate” package.

Once OnBoard: After boarding we went to one of the restaurants to check our reservations. We were immediately told about the “ultimate” package and they suggested that we convert to it. We did and that same day received on our account (which we followed on our TV) a full refund of all the reservation charges paid before the cruise. We were also able to keep all the pre-cruise reservation times we had. In other words, it worked out perfectly for us. The total package chage ($29 per person per day) was less than the prior payments and credits we received.

The Package: The ultimate package entitled us to:

· Dinner each night in any specialty restaurant

· Lunches whenever given in Murano or Tuscan (we did not attend any because two specialty meals in one day is just too much for us)

· The “fancy Tea” given once in the cruise (didn't go to that either)

· One meal in Bistro on 5 each day (ie we could not go to both breakfast & lunch there on the same day).

Free access to Bistro on 5 was really a big plus for lunch as it is never busy, it’s open practically all the time and you can just order just one lighter thing and have a nice lunch as part of the package.

The Ultimate package was a great deal for us and we would do it again in a second.

If you have any questions, I will try to answer them.

[PelicanLvr]

So Sorry the Original Post was so small and hard to read. Here it is again:

 

My wife and I returned recently from the January 12-26 Eclipse sailing. We purchased the “ULTIMATE SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE” and it was GREAT! Please ask any questions. Here’s our story about it:

 

Pre-cruise: This was about our 7th X cruise and we love their specialty restaurants. Knowing that we wanted to eat in one just about every night we pre-booked (and paid full price for) 12 nights in one of the specialties. We did this to ensure that we ate where and when we wanted to. Prior to boarding we were completely unaware of the “ultimate” package.

 

Once OnBoard: After boarding we went to one of the restaurants to check our reservations. We were immediately told about the “ultimate” package and they suggested that we convert to it. We did and that same day received on our account (which we followed on our TV) a full refund of all the reservation charges paid before the cruise and we were also able to keep all the pre-cruise reservation times we had. In other words, it worked out perfectly for us. The total package chage ($29 per person per day) was less than the prior payments and credits we received.

 

The Package: The ultimate package entitled us to:

· Dinner each night in any specialty restaurant

· Lunches whenever given in Murano or Tuscan (we did not attend any because two specialty meals in one day is just too much for us)

· The “fancy Tea” given once in the cruise

· One meal in Bistro on 5 each day (ie we could not go to both breakfast & lunch there on the same day).

 

Free access to Bistro on 5 was really a big plus for lunch as it is never busy, it’s open practically all the time and you can just order just one lighter thing and have a nice lunch as part of the package.

The Ultimate package was a great deal for us and we would do it again in a second.

If you have any questions, I will try to answer them.

[Christine Frances]

Wow ! I was totally unaware of this as well. Thanks for posting!

[miched]

How much weight did you gain? :D

 

Was discussing that package along with the liquor package and almost determined that it would be a better alternative to getting a AQ or CC. Get a balcony and use the savings toward those packages.

 

It is also a lot better than those AI resorts.

[PelicanLvr]

Christine Frances: I think it's a pretty new package. Really worth it for us!

Miched: Yea, weight gain is a problem...especially if you do the packages lunches and dinners.

I had the premium Liquor package also and it really became an AI (all inclusive). Had to buy T-shirts in the gift shop to get my account above zero.

[Lotus Girl]

Can I ask if you didn't have a reservation, did you just walk up and were guaranteed a table at any time for the evening sitting or did you have to make bookings for the nights that you hadn't booked the specialty restaurants before leaving home?

 

Thanks

 

Karen

[Cruise Junky]

Was there any info given as to how many days into a cruise you could still buy it?

[Doupa22]

I asked this question on another string with no answer (yet) maybe someone on this string knows the answer:

 

I would love to do this "Ultimate package" on our 10 day cruise but I already have 3 promotional dinners coming to me for free. Does anybody know if they pro-rate? :confused: I would need 7 days of the package not 10. I don't want to wait until I'm on board to be told "no":eek:

[cruising kirby]

We will be in a Sky Suite on the Solstice soon. I understand we get two free specialty restaurant dinners as part of the suite arrangements Can the ultimate package be used for suite guests? Do they get a refund for the days that they have included free?

[lilghallinsf]

How are the days calculated for the package? If you leave on a Saturday and return on a saturday, is that $29 for 8 days or 7?

 

Thanks

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report!

[eby]

You said you could not go to Bistro on 5 for both breakfest and lunch ,did you mean you chose not to it was not allowed? Thanks Ed

[A Sixth?]

We will be in a Sky Suite on the Solstice soon. I understand we get two free specialty restaurant dinners as part of the suite arrangements Can the ultimate package be used for suite guests? Do they get a refund for the days that they have included free?

 

Does that deal carry over to the Summit?

[PelicanLvr]

Getting additional reservations: We had no problem just booking the few nights we didn't have a reservation for at the times we wanted right after we boarded.

 

 

Nights You already have free: We were not in a suite and did not have any free nights in the restaurants, so I can't really answer that except to say: We had planned to eat on land on Aruba night as the ship didn't sail till 10pm. We could not exempt that night from the plan and paid our $29 each for that day too and ate dinner on Aruba as planned.

 

 

Number of Nights: Our cruise was 14 nights and it was $29 each x 14. Like the full price for the specialty restaurants, no further gratutity was added. If your cruise is 7 nights (saturday to saturday) I would think it would be 29 x 7 each.

 

 

How many days into cruise can you buy it: Don't know as we went for it as soon as we boarded. In fact we were the only 2 people on the plan that cruise. Staff said it's usually 8-12 but on this cruise it was only us!

 

 

Bistro on 5: My understanding was that you were limited to one visit per day. That worked great for us as we only intended to use it for lunch. So be sure to ask about that possible limitation if you are thinking about the package.

 

 

Summit: Don't know for sure if Summit also has this package, but it seems to be on at least several ships.

[BEAV]

Does that deal carry over to the Summit?

 

Here's a link to suite amenities. It says suite passengers receive one night complimentary for two on sailings of 6-7 nights. Two nights complimentary on voyages 8 nights or longer. Valid on Solstice and Millennium-class ships as well as Penthouse and Royal suites on Century.

 

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard/level3Type3.do?pagename=onboard_celebrity_staterooms_suites&parentpage=onboard_celebrity_staterooms

[Wine-O]

Does that deal carry over to the Summit?

 

Personally, I don't think it's a deal to spend an extra $60 each night to eat in a specialty restaurant. To each their own. On a 14-night TA we ate in specialty restaurants twice, but only because we were in a Suite. We enjoyed our meals as we dined in Blu each night.

[Doupa22]

Getting additional reservations: We had no problem just booking the few nights we didn't have a reservation for at the times we wanted right after we boarded.

 

 

Nights You already have free: We were not in a suite and did not have any free nights in the restaurants, so I can't really answer that except to say: We had planned to eat on land on Aruba night as the ship didn't sail till 10pm. We could not exempt that night from the plan and paid our $29 each for that day too and ate dinner on Aruba as planned.

 

 

Number of Nights: Our cruise was 14 nights and it was $29 each x 14. Like the full price for the specialty restaurants, no further gratutity was added. If your cruise is 7 nights (saturday to saturday) I would think it would be 29 x 7 each.

 

 

How many days into cruise can you buy it: Don't know as we went for it as soon as we boarded. In fact we were the only 2 people on the plan that cruise. Staff said it's usually 8-12 but on this cruise it was only us!

 

 

Bistro on 5: My understanding was that you were limited to one visit per day. That worked great for us as we only intended to use it for lunch. So be sure to ask about that possible limitation if you are thinking about the package.

 

 

Summit: Don't know for sure if Summit also has this package, but it seems to be on at least several ships.

 

Thank you for such an informative answer:)

[BEAV]

Personally, I don't think it's a deal to spend an extra $60 each night to eat in a specialty restaurant. To each their own. On a 14-night TA we ate in specialty restaurants twice, but only because we were in a Suite. We enjoyed our meals as we dined in Blu each night.

 

As a suite passenger, it sounds like you dined the majority of your 14-night cruise in Blu? Did you have to ask for availability on a nightly basis, or was the staff more or less able to guarantee you seating for the entire cruise from the beginning?

[midwestchick]

So Sorry the Original Post was so small and hard to read. Here it is again:

 

My wife and I returned recently from the January 12-26 Eclipse sailing. We purchased the “ULTIMATE SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE” and it was GREAT! Please ask any questions. Here’s our story about it:

 

Pre-cruise: This was about our 7th X cruise and we love their specialty restaurants. Knowing that we wanted to eat in one just about every night we pre-booked (and paid full price for) 12 nights in one of the specialties. We did this to ensure that we ate where and when we wanted to. Prior to boarding we were completely unaware of the “ultimate” package.

 

Once OnBoard: After boarding we went to one of the restaurants to check our reservations. We were immediately told about the “ultimate” package and they suggested that we convert to it. We did and that same day received on our account (which we followed on our TV) a full refund of all the reservation charges paid before the cruise and we were also able to keep all the pre-cruise reservation times we had. In other words, it worked out perfectly for us. The total package chage ($29 per person per day) was less than the prior payments and credits we received.

 

The Package: The ultimate package entitled us to:

· Dinner each night in any specialty restaurant

· Lunches whenever given in Murano or Tuscan (we did not attend any because two specialty meals in one day is just too much for us)

· The “fancy Tea” given once in the cruise

· One meal in Bistro on 5 each day (ie we could not go to both breakfast & lunch there on the same day).

 

Free access to Bistro on 5 was really a big plus for lunch as it is never busy, it’s open practically all the time and you can just order just one lighter thing and have a nice lunch as part of the package.

The Ultimate package was a great deal for us and we would do it again in a second.

If you have any questions, I will try to answer them.

 

Thank you for reposting in larger font. I really had a hard time reading and these are new lenses.

How much does the package cost? We are doing a 12 day cruise.

[Doupa22]

Personally, I don't think it's a deal to spend an extra $60 each night to eat in a specialty restaurant. To each their own. On a 14-night TA we ate in specialty restaurants twice, but only because we were in a Suite. We enjoyed our meals as we dined in Blu each night.

 

Blu IS a specialty restaurant. And you did pay for it in the price of your Aqua Suite:p

 

Was it worth it? Sounds like it was;)

[A Sixth?]

Personally, I don't think it's a deal to spend an extra $60 each night to eat in a specialty restaurant. To each their own. On a 14-night TA we ate in specialty restaurants twice, but only because we were in a Suite. We enjoyed our meals as we dined in Blu each night.

 

Huh?

 

If the restaurant is offed as a free perk, where's the $ 60.00??

 

It's a new plus being offered isn't it?

[BEAV]

How much does the package cost? We are doing a 12 day cruise.

 

$29 per person per day.

[BEAV]

Huh?

 

If the restaurant is offed as a free perk, where's the $ 60.00??

 

It's a new plus being offered isn't it?

 

I think Wine-o was confused by your earlier question, thinking you were asking if the Ultimate Dining package is offered on Summit as opposed to your asking about details of suite passengers receiving 1 or 2 complimentary nights in a specialty restaurant. I answered your question in post #15 if you didn't already notice it.

[Wine-O]

As a suite passenger, it sounds like you dined the majority of your 14-night cruise in Blu? Did you have to ask for availability on a nightly basis, or was the staff more or less able to guarantee you seating for the entire cruise from the beginning?

 

We were originially booked in AQ with 2 other couples. Right after final payment they had a GTY special for a Suite. The upgrade was very reasonable, so we took it. We all went to Blu every night around 8:30, and they had a table for 6 available every night. Only one night we had to wait 15 minutes, so we had a drink in the Ensemble Lounge, and they came to get us. We had friends in a Royal Suite, and a couple of nights they turned our table for 6 into a table for 8.

[BEAV]

We were originially booked in AQ with 2 other couples. Right after final payment they had a GTY special for a Suite. The upgrade was very reasonable, so we took it. We all went to Blu every night around 8:30, and they had a table for 6 available every night. Only one night we had to wait 15 minutes, so we had a drink in the Ensemble Lounge, and they came to get us. We had friends in a Royal Suite, and a couple of nights they turned our table for 6 into a table for 8.

 

Great to hear. To be in a suite and have Blu as your principle dining venue is the best of both worlds in my book. ;)