Why does Celebrity do this?

[gotcha3]

Last week, I checked to see if I could make Murano reservations at 7:00 for any day during our upcoming Feb 2016 Reflection cruise. I could. After discussing dates/times with the wife, I tried yesterday to actually book a reservation for 7:00....again on any day during the cruise week as we weren't particular. There are no more 7:00 dinner slots available during the entire week. This exact same scenario played out on our recent Millenium cruise, when we couldn't make Olympic reservations for 7:00 on any night, but suddenly they were available once we were onboard. What kind of policy is this? Is there a logic to this? If so, what is it?

[cle-guy]

They offer priority reservations as a perk to Concierge cabins and Suites, so they hold back a number of slots for those folks to confirm once on board.

 

I've never made reservations in advance for any specialty, and only once have I had issue getting my preferred time once on board, or within 30 minutes of my time. And this was when I waited till the final day of my cruise to request dining in Tuscan an an M class ship, and it was booked solid.

 

Like with any restaurant, eventually one can not get a reservation at a preferred time, early bird gets the worm as they say.

 

Don't sweat it, just wait till you board, and you'll likely find discounted options by waiting to purchase on board. Often 20-50% off 1st night, and it's usually pretty easy just to ask outright for a discount on any night. If you want to dine a second time, it's not unheard of to negotiate a buy 1 get 1 free deal from the maitre'd if they aren't full.

[Snit13]

You must have much more pull than I. Each cruise we are offered the 1st night discount and when I call as soon as I get to cabin I am always offered dining time past my bed time. We are Elite + but that doesn't seem to count. Would love to have a 7 to 8 dining time available to take advantage of the discount. Maybe I shouldn't call but go to location where they are taking the reservations. Would that help?

[waterbug123]

This exact same scenario played out on our recent Millenium cruise, when we couldn't make Olympic reservations for 7:00 on any night, but suddenly they were available once we were onboard. What kind of policy is this? Is there a logic to this? If so, what is it?

 

It's the kind of policy where they don't allow all reservation slots to fill up prior to booking. This allows flexibility once on board. Many like that, because it means they don't have to worry about planning every meal months and months in advance. ;)

[BEAV]

After experiencing the same thing as the OP on a few occasions, we learned to just wait until boarding the ship to secure our specialty restaurant reservations. We've never had any problems booking on board with regard to dates and times. It was explained to us that only a percentage of the restaurant's capacity is available for booking in advance on the website, leaving the balance to be handled by the restaurants on board. We do, however, go straight to the restaurant to secure our reservations when we board the ship. We get that out of the way first before doing anything else.

[Project_gal]

Last week, I checked to see if I could make Murano reservations at 7:00 for any day during our upcoming Feb 2016 Reflection cruise. I could. After discussing dates/times with the wife, I tried yesterday to actually book a reservation for 7:00....again on any day during the cruise week as we weren't particular. There are no more 7:00 dinner slots available during the entire week. This exact same scenario played out on our recent Millenium cruise, when we couldn't make Olympic reservations for 7:00 on any night, but suddenly they were available once we were onboard. What kind of policy is this? Is there a logic to this? If so, what is it?

 

Until the opening of Luminae, we eat only in the specialty restaurants and, as we book early, I watched continually until booking for them were opened. By experimenting, I learned that they only have one reservation in any time slot available online. Once that one reservation has been taken, that is it. The remaining reservations can be made on board. Just make sure you go to the specialty dining desk as soon as you board.

[Pushka]

I was unable to book our preferred time on several days during our August cruise. Either 5.30pm or 9pm. As Aqua. This was onboard and early in the cruise. Had to settle for a day we didnt really want (long excursion that day).

[stevea36]

Last week, I checked to see if I could make Murano reservations at 7:00 for any day during our upcoming Feb 2016 Reflection cruise. I could. After discussing dates/times with the wife, I tried yesterday to actually book a reservation for 7:00....again on any day during the cruise week as we weren't particular. There are no more 7:00 dinner slots available during the entire week. This exact same scenario played out on our recent Millenium cruise, when we couldn't make Olympic reservations for 7:00 on any night, but suddenly they were available once we were onboard. What kind of policy is this? Is there a logic to this? If so, what is it?

 

At one time RCI, their sister line, used to keep about 1/3 of reservations for both specialty restaurants and excursions available onboard for those who did not have internet access. I'm sure that there are still a few who lack this access, but not as many as years ago..

 

Steve

[ECCruise]

Why does Celebrity do it? It's simple and a tactic that some restaurants will use. If you make the most desirable (and easiest to fill) time slots appear to be unavailable, a certain percentage of people will switch and make reservations in one of the less desirable (and harder to fill) slots. Then, when it gets close to the date (or in Celebrity's case, you get on board), they easily fill the desirable slots but the bad ones have already been taken.

 

It is an old game. Have seen it done with cabins, too (although not necessarily with =X=), offering the worst cabins as the ones available and saving the good ones to be rolled out later. Using it maximizes "load factors" for lack of a better term.

[SantaFeFan]

It is an old game. Have seen it done with cabins, too (although not necessarily with =X=), offering the worst cabins as the ones available and saving the good ones to be rolled out later. Using it maximizes "load factors" for lack of a better term.

 

The "good" cabins being made available later on are typically the result of a TA releasing some or all of a block of cabins they were holding. For example, we were trying to plan a surprise birthday cruise for a well liked friend and our TA blocked off a group of eight primo hump cabins for our group. After three months of low interest in the cruise, we informed our TA that she could release all but two of the cabins which had been booked by some in our group. Suddenly, six well located cabins appeared for booking that had been out of circulation for those months.

Edited August 27, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[ECCruise]

The "good" cabins being made available later on are typically the result of a TA releasing some or all of a block of cabins they were holding. For example, we were trying to plan a surprise birthday cruise for a well liked friend and our TA blocked off a group of eight primo hump cabins for our group. After three months of low interest in the cruise, we informed our TA that she could release all but two of the cabins which had been booked by some in our group. Suddenly, six well located cabins appeared for booking that had been out of circulation for those months.

 

I am talking about on Day 1 of booking availability onward, long before any group space has been allocated.

[rjrpar]

Like a previous poster noted, no big deal not being able to reserve pre-cruise, it is easy to get a reservation once on the ship. On our last cruise they were begging for customers and even offering discounts.

[Pushka]

Like a previous poster noted, no big deal not being able to reserve pre-cruise, it is easy to get a reservation once on the ship. On our last cruise they were begging for customers and even offering discounts.

 

 

And we found it impossible this month.

[BEAV]

And we found it impossible this month.

 

Since you had difficulty on your sailing, did Celebrity still position employees at the entrance to the Oceanview (buffet) like they normally do soliciting Specialty Restaurant reservations?

[Pushka]

Since you had difficulty on your sailing, did Celebrity still position employees at the entrance to the Oceanview (buffet) like they normally do soliciting Specialty Restaurant reservations?

 

 

I only saw this on one day - they were there every day in 2014. Didn't see any deals and they didn't tout the restaurants like they did last time. I ended up in guest services trying to book, and none of my requested days were available except very early or very late.

[cle-guy]

I am talking about on Day 1 of booking availability onward, long before any group space has been allocated.

 

Group space can be allocated even before cruises go on sale to the public.

 

A group I travel with I noted had their transatlantic for sale for this spring 2 months before the schedule was out to the general public. They do annual TA crossings, so its known well in advance.

[richstowe]

I was unable to book our preferred time on several days during our August cruise. Either 5.30pm or 9pm.

Its simple really , cruise lines want two turns in their specialty restaurants . Therefore they allow only a few prime time reservations from 6:45 to 7:45 . (This "prime time" can be later depending on the cruise) It is much easier to get that second seating when the first begins at 6:30 or earlier . If they didn't try to "manage" reservation times , it would result in less total seats . This is not exclusive to Celebrity . They were very clear about this policy on my recent HAL cruise .

[Pushka]

Its simple really , cruise lines want two turns in their specialty restaurants . Therefore they allow only a few prime time reservations from 6:45 to 7:45 . (This "prime time" can be later depending on the cruise) It is much easier to get that second seating when the first begins at 6:30 or earlier . If they didn't try to "manage" reservation times , it would result in less total seats . This is not exclusive to Celebrity . They were very clear about this policy on my recent HAL cruise .

 

 

Sure. I understand. In the end I cancelled a booking as the day just didn't suit and wasn't the day I wanted. So that's the consequences for that practice.

[sloopsailor]

Sure. I understand. In the end I cancelled a booking as the day just didn't suit and wasn't the day I wanted. So that's the consequences for that practice.

 

That will teach them a lesson! :D

 

All kidding aside, as has been reported by at least two CC members who have insider knowledge of how cruise lines work, the cruise lines do not make money on these restaurants. Instead, they are there to attract people to book cruises on their ships. Full ships bring in more revenue. These restaurants are considered a "loss leader", much like certain sale items are used in retail to get the customer into the store, where hopefully they will spend more money. (The definition of "loss leader": "A pricing strategy where a product is sold at a price below its market cost to stimulate other sales of more profitable goods or services".)

 

With the cost of the scarce square footage these restaurants take up, to the cost of the decor, and the cost of the facilities to cook meals per order, these spaces are quite expensive to add and maintain on ships.

 

If you doubt this, don't flame me. I am only the messenger repeating what these two CC members have reported.

 

Bottom line, if you chose to cancel a reservation, the cruise line probably saved money. :cool:

Edited August 27, 2015 by sloopsailor

[jabrown40]

I tried to book my Murano dining for my April 4th cruise. I too only had openings at 9pm the entire cruise. When I called celebrity, the agent told me that the earlier times for that restaurant had not yet been loaded into the computer. She told me to wait another month or two to check again.

[richstowe]

That will teach them a lesson! :D

 

All kidding aside, as has been reported by at least two CC members who have insider knowledge of how cruise lines work, the cruise lines do not make money on these restaurants. Instead, they are there to attract people to book cruises on their ships. Full ships bring in more revenue. These restaurants are considered a "loss leader", much like certain sale items are used in retail to get the customer into the store, where hopefully they will spend more money. (The definition of "loss leader": "A pricing strategy where a product is sold at a price below its market cost to stimulate other sales of more profitable goods or services".)

 

With the cost of the scarce square footage these restaurants take up, to the cost of the decor, and the cost of the facilities to cook meals per order, these spaces are quite expensive to add and maintain on ships.

 

If you doubt this, don't flame me. I am only the messenger repeating what these two CC members have reported.

 

Bottom line, if you chose to cancel a reservation, the cruise line probably saved money. :cool:

I will not flame you but I would use the term necessary evil instead of "loss leader" for these restaurants . These days cruisers demand one or two or more extra charge restaurants . Regardless a lot of the expenses are fixed and they do make money above the variable costs especially when adding the significant profits on purchases of alcohol . Pretty much everyone purchases a bottle of wine at a minimum . Cruise ship suits want as many "covers" as possible even if it is just to reduce the "loss".

[Pushka]

 

Bottom line, if you chose to cancel a reservation, the cruise line probably saved money. :cool:

 

Dammit, should have gone anyway. Nah, that would have cost me money! :eek:

[DZalumni]

I've found that by calling & booking via Celebrity they magically have to dining times I want that aren't published on line. Sometimes, as much as we hate to foot, calling gets you the times you want.