New dinner packages for sale, for up to 12 dinners

[[g]cruiserke]

I just noticed new multi-day dinner packages in the cruiseplanner section of my upcoming cruise. In addition to the previously available 3 day, 4 day and 5 day packages, they now have additional packages for 6 through to 12 days:

 

12 dinners specialty package for $312 $26 per day

11 dinners specialty package for $297 $27 per day

10 dinners specialty package for $280 $28 per day

9 dinners specialty package for $261 $29 per day

8 dinners specialty package for $240 $30 per day

7 dinners specialty package for $217 $31 per day

6 dinners specialty package for $192 $32 per day

5 dinners specialty package for $159 $32 per day

4 dinners specialty package for $125 $31 per day

3 dinners specialty package for $109 $36 per day

So they kept the pricing for the old 3 to 5 dinner packages and for the new packages (as of 6 dinners) they start at $32 a day with $1 less per day for each higher category. Which is good reasoning but it's a bit strange that the

"old" packages are still priced as before, which makes the 4 dinner package a comparatively good deal and the 3 dinner one a lousy deal.

[Cruise Junky]

I saw that the other day. Very interesting.

[[g]cruiserke]

Just to clarify this is of course for the specialty restaurants.

[oneputt18]

I wonder if they will eliminate the Ultimate Dining Package.

[lovescarborough]

I found it very strange that this just appeared on the 'manage my booking ' part of the website . Surely it was worth an announcement email ? Many customers may not even know about it.

Would Celebrity please come on this board and clarify :

1. Does this mean we can choose whatever speciality restaurants we wish to use ? There is no mention of this when you go to book this package on the website.

2. Where customers have already booked and in my case paid for the three or five night package are we getting what we paid for, ie the restaurants specified at the time or can we choose as above ?

We love Celebrity and have done for years ( elite ) but they really are useless at times !!

[[g]cruiserke]

1. Does this mean we can choose whatever speciality restaurants we wish to use ? There is no mention of this when you go to book this package on the website.

 

When I go into the detail page of one of the package, there is this info (bold mine):

 

Experience as many specialty restaurants as your appetite desires and enjoy up to 45% savings when you purchase our Specialty Dining Packages for your vacation. Take a culinary journey in Qsine, experience impeccable service and world-class cuisine at Murano or savor our classic Italian flavors in Tuscan Grill. Book different restaurants for lunch and dinner, or revisit your favorite restaurant over and over again… the choice is yours. Our distinctive specialty restaurants selection varies by ship.

[TexSea]

I wonder if they will eliminate the Ultimate Dining Package.

 

I hope not. I like the idea of restaurant hopping for an evening, one course at each restaurant. ;-)

[[g]cruiserke]

I wonder if they will eliminate the Ultimate Dining Package.

I'm afraid the writing is on the wall that the ultimate dinner package will go away.

 

Norwegian did the same thing, they started out offering an "ultimate dining package" which covered your entire cruise, regardless of how many specialty restaurants you went to (you could do one restaurant at lunch and another at dinner, the same day) but then switched to packages for multiple meals.

 

On the bright side, these packages can be pre-purchased while the unlimited one can only be bought once onboard.

Edited November 16, 2016 by [g]cruiserke
some typos and quoted the wrong post

[Drysil]

cruiserke;51564001']

Book different restaurants for lunch and dinner' date=' or revisit your favorite restaurant over and over again… the choice is yours. Our distinctive specialty restaurants selection varies by ship.[/quote']

 

Hmmmm.....I wonder if this suggests a broader rollout of lunch options in specialty restaurants...or perhaps there's more than I think already? All I know of at the moment is Lawn Club Grill. Can you lunch at Tuscan, Murano, etc.?

[jagoffee]

Hmmmm.....I wonder if this suggests a broader rollout of lunch options in specialty restaurants...or perhaps there's more than I think already? All I know of at the moment is Lawn Club Grill. Can you lunch at Tuscan, Murano, etc.?

On our just completed TA the Lawn Grill, Porch, and Sushi on Five were open for lunch. (I believe everyday). The Tucsan and Murano's on periodic sea days.

[DaisyFire]

cruiserke;51564122']I'm afraid the writing is on the wall that the ultimate dinner package will go away.

 

Norwegian did the same thing' date=' they started out offering an "ultimate dining package" which covered your entire cruise, regardless of how many specialty restaurants you went to (you could do one restaurant at lunch and another at dinner, the same day) but then switched to packages for multiple meals.

 

On the bright side, these packages can be pre-purchased while the unlimited one can only be bought once onboard.[/quote']

 

This seems likely - especially since for my upcoming 14 night cruise, I can actually book a 14 night dining package for $336 - or $24 per dinner.

 

Interesting that it is listed as a 'dinner' package - but the language implies it can be used for lunch as well...

 

Experience as many specialty restaurants as your appetite desires and enjoy up to 45% savings when you purchase our Specialty Dining Packages for your vacation. Take a culinary journey in Qsine, experience impeccable service and world-class cuisine at Murano or savor our classic Italian flavors in Tuscan Grill. Book different restaurants for

lunch

and dinner, or revisit your favorite restaurant over and over again… the choice is yours. Our distinctive specialty restaurants selection varies by ship.

 

Book Your Specialty Dining Package Now

Select your dining party and your preferred dining time and a courtesy dinner reservation will be made on your behalf for Day 1 or Day 2. On Day 1, If you would like to amend or to complete your additional dinner reservations, simply visit one of our Specialty Restaurant Reservation Desks. Packages must be booked at least two days prior to boarding. Specialty Dining Packages and restaurant reservations are based on availability and may not be available on every voyage.

[loosygoosy]

Is it unlimited dining for 12 days or is it 12 restaurants whenever you like? Big difference. I have never seen any Unlimited dining package on Celebrity.

 

 

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[terigo]

I tried to book this for our cruise, and it asked me to select dates and times, but gave no place to put this option, then would not allow me to book it.

I called Celebrity, and this is so new, she had no idea what it was, and she wasnt able to book it for me either.

The supervisor is supposed to get back to me. sigh

[[g]cruiserke]

This seems likely - especially since for my upcoming 14 night cruise, I can actually book a 14 night dining package for $336 - or $24 per dinner.

 

Yeah, it just occurred to me that our cruise is 12 nights, which is why I can book max 12 dinners and they probably - or obviously based on your reply - offer packages based on the cruise length.

[[g]cruiserke]

Is it unlimited dining for 12 days or is it 12 restaurants whenever you like? Big difference. I have never seen any Unlimited dining package on Celebrity.

 

 

Based on the name, which is "xx Dinners Specialty Package" presumably you get xx meals, and if you use the package for lunch and dinner on the same day, you lose two "meal credits".

[wallie5446]

I hope not. I like the idea of restaurant hopping for an evening, one course at each restaurant. ;-)

 

That is something totally different from the Ultimate Dining package.

[wallie5446]

Is it unlimited dining for 12 days or is it 12 restaurants whenever you like? Big difference. I have never seen any Unlimited dining package on Celebrity.

 

 

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The Ultimate Dining pkg has been around for a long time. It is sold in very limited numbers, and only on board. $29.00 + grat per day, per person.

It sells out most every sailing.

[TeaBag]

I wonder if this will end any discounts given on just one meal in a speciality restaurant.

[wallie5446]

I wonder if this will end any discounts given on just one meal in a speciality restaurant.

 

Time will tell, but IMHO, that wont get you nutting no wheres :eek: I doubt it.

[hcat]

Hoping the Moderators can combine this with the thread I started on need for Celebrity to update website info..

 

Thanks for posting this...and hope X does clarify.

[Tedferg]

First X cruise Mar 4 2017, Reflection.

 

This is fascinating when I first looked at dining packages for 7 day Caribbean only 4 or 5 night showed. Also the detail for 4 night said Celebrity would pick the restaurant for First night and we could add other nights. Looked like we could be stuck with having to go on day one to a restaurant we did not want. Also it seemed pretty clear that it was for four different restaurants.

 

Just went to Planner for our cruise and as stated above there are 3,4,5,6,7 night packages and 'you can go to your favorite restaurant over and over'

 

So we could pick Murano for 4 nights ?!?

 

Tried a sample booking. It does force Day1 or Day 2 also offers 6:00, 6:30, 8:00, 8:30 times. I did not continue with booking, but did not see a place to choose restaurant. no gratuity added to $125 and MUST BE BOOKED 1 - 2 days before sailing.

[jagoffee]

I wonder if this will end any discounts given on just one meal in a speciality restaurant.

 

It does look like a big discount when you book many in advance. If successful the speciality restaurants will be busier resulting in perhaps less single day discounts on board. The list prices are high IMO.

[lovescarborough]

Decided to book the 4 night package for our April cruise. You still have to pick either the first or second night and there is no way of selecting which restaurant.I can only assume we will have to change once on board if it's not the one we want. We will be on Equinox and love Murano and Tuscan but won't go to Silk Harvest, we just don't like the style of food. I really hope Celebrity have thought this one through properly as it could result in a lot of unhappy people, especially if they oversell the packages ( a bit like they do with select dining where you make reservations that they can't keep. That would be a disaster in the much smaller speciality restaurants ). I went ahead with the purchase and will be very interested to see reviews over the next few months.

[fielddreamer]

I checked my planner and it has nothing about these dinning pkgs. I also called celebrity and they know nothing about it !

[DaisyFire]

Decided to book the 4 night package for our April cruise. You still have to pick either the first or second night and there is no way of selecting which restaurant.I can only assume we will have to change once on board if it's not the one we want. We will be on Equinox and love Murano and Tuscan but won't go to Silk Harvest, we just don't like the style of food. I really hope Celebrity have thought this one through properly as it could result in a lot of unhappy people, especially if they oversell the packages ( a bit like they do with select dining where you make reservations that they can't keep. That would be a disaster in the much smaller speciality restaurants ). I went ahead with the purchase and will be very interested to see reviews over the next few months.

 

That is my assumption as well. It states on the reservation page:

 

Book Your Specialty Dining Package Now

Select your dining party and your preferred dining time and a courtesy dinner reservation will be made on your behalf for Day 1 or Day 2. On Day 1, If you would like to amend or to complete your additional dinner reservations, simply visit one of our Specialty Restaurant Reservation Desks. Packages must be booked at least two days prior to boarding. Specialty Dining Packages and restaurant reservations are based on availability and may not be available on every voyage.

 

I also booked the 4 dinner package - which makes the per-dinner price $31.25. I figured that is pretty good since with a 30% discount on the lowest priced dining venue (I believe $45 for Qsine on the Eclipse) the cost would be about $33.

 

I am wondering if this new push for specialty dining packages is due to some of the issues with select dining in the MDR that we have seen discussed here on CC. :confused: