Pre-cruise offer: 20% off specialty restaurant 1st night.

[sweetp09]

I got an email that offers 20% off a specialty restaurant for the first night of our upcoming cruise. I have read rumors of 50% discounts first night on board. Should I wait it out for a better discount or take the sure 20% off?

[RBKL]

I got an email that offers 20% off a specialty restaurant for the first night of our upcoming cruise. I have read rumors of 50% discounts first night on board. Should I wait it out for a better discount or take the sure 20% off?

 

In my experience the 20% is the best deal unless you're in an Aqua cabin. I've read on CC about people getting offered 50% off a specialty restaurant on the first night if they were in aqua class. I believe it helps reduce the crowd in Blu.

 

We've been offered the 20% off on the first night three times on the Solstice and have already received that same email for our Summit sailing for next year.

 

Each time I have had to "remind" them about the 20% because you pay full price up front and get a credit on the ship. On our August sailing I brought the email and showed them. Until then they kept telling me I was mistaken. Same thing on the previous two sailings. In the end we got the discount but it shouldn't be so hard.

 

No matter what you book you can always cancel if you get a better offer.

[sweetp09]

I neglected to mention we are in AQ.

[RBKL]

Recommend doing a search on this thread. I think you'l find posts about AQ getting offered 50% off on the first night.

[TeaBag]

You should get a letter or coupon in your AQ cabin with the 50% offer for the first night.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

We been in an inside cabin and have gotten 50% first night , a lot depends on the cruise

On our Holy Land cruise in Oct , it was 50% everynight , even formal night

But it was a different crowd of passengers, the shows were never full, bars were quiet, even elite happy hour was quiet

[thebutlerdidit]

Yes, we've been offerred 50% off the first night when in Aqua Class. This could change at any time, but I would wait until you board unless a specific time is very important to you. I'm sailing Reflection on Saturday and hope to be offerred the 50% discount again.

[lepjo11]

Just wondering about the timing of this offer. How far in advance did you receive the e-mail for 20% off? For the 50% off deals (AQ or not), did you receive them once onboard or through e-mail prior to?

 

Thanks!

[RBKL]

Just wondering about the timing of this offer. How far in advance did you receive the e-mail for 20% off? For the 50% off deals (AQ or not), did you receive them once onboard or through e-mail prior to?

 

Thanks!

 

We're 13 months out from our cruise and over the past two months we've received emails with the 20% off offer twice already.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I think the 20% off offer is pretty standard and everybody gets it. I know I have. I just ignore it. Celebrity is trying to fill up the specialty restaurants so it won't have to offer them at 50% off.

 

[Dowunder]

I would definitely wait until the cruise before buying any specialty restaurants. There will probably be a stand in the terminal before you board offering specialty restaurant deals then again when you are on the ship then again before and after the MDR and again after returning from score excursions. Typically it can be 20 or 30% for Murano 50% for Quisine and $30 off pp for Tuscan Grille. It now seems RCCL policy to flog the specialties whenever they can. Sure it's good to have a change, but the food in the MDR is very good. IMO the specialties are over priced

[curtdesilets]

I would definitely wait until the cruise before buying any specialty restaurants. There will probably be a stand in the terminal before you board offering specialty restaurant deals then again when you are on the ship then again before and after the MDR and again after returning from score excursions. Typically it can be 20 or 30% for Murano 50% for Quisine and $30 off pp for Tuscan Grille. It now seems RCCL policy to flog the specialties whenever they can. Sure it's good to have a change, but the food in the MDR is very good. IMO the specialties are over priced

 

I think every ship and itinerary must set their own rules. We booked a table for 4 at Murano on Century last time we cruised. The Maitre D gave us a substantial discount if we rebooked for another night, and we did. Negotiations are always possible.

[ghstudio]

I think the 50% off the first night for aqua is pretty standard. On our infinity TA just completed, If there was a wait, they gave us one of those little pads that light up when your table is ready so we could go to any reasonably local area and be "paged". There was a label on the pad that said if you have this pad, you can dine at any specialty restaurant for 50% off instead of waiting for Blu.

 

Not sure if this is fleet wide, but we took them up on it one night and ate at the United States for 50% off.

 

They also had an offer on the ship for two dinners and a lunch at one of the specialty restaurants for $90pp. I've seen similar packages on other cruises.

 

I would not but in advance...I am pretty sure that no matter what happens, it will cost less if you book on the ship. Generally, if you ask for a discount, they'll give it to you....and if you want to eat at a restaurant again, just ask and you almost always will get an additional discount.

[Ruthk]

We sail (concierge level) on the Eclipse every Jan./Feb. 2 years ago we ate in all the specialty restaurants - all were at 50% off, but they started at 20% and I told them all that we would only dine at 50% off. We sail the S. Caribbean 2 wk cruise and maybe this is a difficult cruise to get people to spend their money. I know that the bars are not really all that busy on these cruises also. And many days around the pool they are offering 2 for 1 drinks just to get them off the waiters trays. On this cruise there were restaurant staff walking around trying to sell reservations and we were always sitting at the Martini Bar when they would approach us - dining was for that night only. I remember Murano's told us that the next time we dine there it would be at the same discount, but we didn't go back a second time.

And this past winter we sailed in Aqua, and no one approached us with any deals. I would think it is a supply and demand situation.

[Cruise Raider]

We were on the Solstice two years in a row...first in AQ and second in a standard cabin. We were never offered the 50% off for AQ and the second sailing, we were only offered 20% off in Silk Harvest. This wasn't combinable with the 3 dinner package we also purchased ... and with the 5 dinner package, when pre-purchased, would have been more than 20% ...so we passed. If we had no package, I would have booked Silk Harvest in a heartbeat at 20%. There was one dish that I didn't care much for but the rest of it was amazing.

[teecee60]

I got an email that offers 20% off a specialty restaurant for the first night of our upcoming cruise. I have read rumors of 50% discounts first night on board. Should I wait it out for a better discount or take the sure 20% off?

 

On shorter cruises the Specialty Restaurants fill more easily and more often with only minor discounts of 10% to 25%.

 

On longer cruises/transatlantics they will almost always offer 2-4-1. (even for those of us in steerage)

 

Do NOT offer them info that will hurt your cause, like "its my birthday/anniversary," they will then KNOW you REALLY want to go.

 

Ask what they are offering, then balk at the offer with a retort of "but we have ALREADY *P*A*I*D* for our dinner... I would LIKE to try it, but that is too much."

 

Just as it is with cruise fares, if they are behind on bookings, the deals will get better. If they are ahead of their goal, you will get less of a deal. ;)

Edited November 2, 2014 by teecee60

[ORV]

On one cruise a couple of years ago I inquired about 50% off and the person manning the table laughed at me. Said it doesn't happen. Obviously it does.

[johncandt]

If you check the online booking section for speciality restaurants you will find that there are now 2 sets of prices , one if you book prior to sailing and another which applies if you book onboard , the onboard is more expensive hence getting a discount means you pay the same !!!!! it also depends on the length of cruise if its a 7 day they are unlikely to offer discounts if they can fill up and getting your preferred time is more difficult, on longer cruises its usually easy to get a reservation on the day

[jagoffee]

If you check the online booking section for speciality restaurants you will find that there are now 2 sets of prices , one if you book prior to sailing and another which applies if you book onboard , the onboard is more expensive hence getting a discount means you pay the same !!!!! it also depends on the length of cruise if its a 7 day they are unlikely to offer discounts if they can fill up and getting your preferred time is more difficult, on longer cruises its usually easy to get a reservation on the day

 

 

You are implying that if you book on line for a single dinner that the costs is between 20% to 50% less? I am amazed. I am going to check it out.

 

Thanks (but not yet convinced you are right)

 

Edited: I just checked my 1/18/15 Eclipse cruise.

Murano's is $45

Tuscan's is $35

Qsine's is $45

 

All when booked in advance on line. Same as on board unless the prices have gone up. Were you on the Celebrity site? I did not see the prices for booking on board listed. I was in my booking when checking out your comment.

 

There is a $99 package for three, so it is a discount if you booked all three, but I suspect you can get this on aboard.

Edited November 3, 2014 by jagoffee

[johncandt]

You are implying that if you book on line for a single dinner that the costs is between 20% to 50% less? I am amazed. I am going to check it out.

 

Thanks (but not yet convinced you are right)

This is from Celebrity website FAQ Murano $45...onboard $50

Tuscan Grill $35....o/b $45

 

Qsine $45 o/b $45

LCG $40......O/B $45

Silk Harvest $30 o/b $35

It says that this is for "some " sailings during 2014 bet it stays the same in 2015 or am i being cynical !!!

[ghstudio]

On one cruise a couple of years ago I inquired about 50% off and the person manning the table laughed at me. Said it doesn't happen. Obviously it does.

 

not only does it happen, it is printed on the "pagers" given out in blu if there is a wait.

[hcat]

Pagers? We have never been given one..

 

.we dine early but might enjoy the 50% ..do we have to come later when it is more crowded to get the offer?

 

Last time we got the iffer but forgot how it was extended to us....

sailing Saturday on Reflection...can't wait!