Specialty Dining package--can we make reservations pre-cruise?

[scrabble6]

Hi all, we have a 3-night Specialty Dining package on our upcoming 9-night Silhouette cruise.  In the cruise planner I can make dinner reservations, but I don't find a way to indicate that they are already paid for as part of our package--it wants me to pay with OBC or a credit card.  Also, as expected, there is an indication that the first night is reserved as part of the package, but it doesn't indicate which restaurant that first night reservation is for.

 

Can  you experts help me with some information and reminders please?.  (yes I have used the search feature but haven't really found everything I'm looking for).

 

• Is it possible to book specialty dining reservations online as part of our purchased package before we board?  When I try to do this online, it wants to charge me for the reservation.
• The first night has one of my 3 dinners automatically reserved but I can't find which restaurant is reserved.  Is it true that I can switch this to another night and/or restaurant?  How do I do this?
• We have anytime dining.  Can I make MDR reservations online pre-cruise?

 

Thanks in advance!  Also feel free to add any tips or other info.  We're not new to specialty dining--we have our favorite restaurants and preferred times and dates in mind--but I believe this is the first time we've ever purchased a package pre-cruise on Celebrity, so I'm just not sure how to get this done.  We usually purchase a dining package or individual dinner reservations on board.

 

 

[Mr. Click]

It is not possible at this time to make specialty dining reservations if you have booked a package.  They claim they will book your dinner for the first night and you can book the rest of the nights once you are on board. In my case they canceled my Select Time reservation for the first night, never made a reservation for me for specialty dining so when we boarded I went right to the desk to find out when and where I was supposed to enjoy dinner on night one and book my other three nights.  After 10 minutes of "discussion" with the podium at Murano I headed to guest relations to cancel my package because any time I wanted to eat it was "sorry, that is full" and they were trying to force me to eat at times that did not work for me.  Guest relations tried to work it out but failed so we got our OBC refunded, enjoyed dinner in the MDR on night one, Dinner in the Tuscan Grill late in the cruise curtsey of our Captains Club hostess. We ended up making new friends and doing a lot of late lunches during our shore time, snacking at the Elite hour and grabbing a late bite in the Ocean View....It would have been nice if the specialty package had worked out  but it did not so I found other stuff to spend the OBC on.

[jelayne]

You can’t make reservations with the package before you board. If you want to pay full price you can booked ahead .  The package offers a nice discount but for the reduced price you forfeit booking early.  The first night “reservation” really doesn’t exist, it it just something that the not so wonderful computer system requires to book a package.  As soon as you board head to one of the tables selling speciality dining, Or Murano, or the Oceanview Cafe where there are staff ready to book your dinners.

 

We have not had a problem in the past getting a reservation when we want but we do eat late (8-8:30) so getting a reservation at 7 could be different.

[Turtles06]

OP: we've just returned from the Silhouette's 15-night TA.  We had a 6-night specialty dining package; if you haven't already done so, you might want to read my review thread, in which, among other things, I comment on the specialty dining venues in which we ate:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2608889-just-back-from-the-silhouette-ta-–-a-brief-review-after-4-years-away-from-celebrity/

 

As others have noted, if you buy a specialty dining package before the cruise, you cannot make reservations for those venues in advance.  When you board, go immediately to one of the specialty venues (head directly aft on Deck 4, where Murano and Qsine are located); they will be able to make  all the reservations for you.    If you call Celebrity before the cruise, they will typically tell you that the first night's reservation with a package is usually for Tuscan Grille, and that you can change it, which in our experience you can.  (BTW, our meal at Tuscan was the only really bad experience of our cruise -- terrible service and mediocre food.  If you dine there, I hope you have a far better experience.)

 

As for select/anytime dining, you CAN make reservations in advance via your Cruise Planner.  It's not very obvious, but go into the Dining part, scroll way down.  It will look as though you are going to buy specialty dinners, but if you scroll down far enough, you'll see the way to book your MDR select dining meals.  For every night you want to make such a reservation, you must do it separately in the Cruise Planner (unless something has recently changed).  

 

You'll see in my review thread that we regretted buying the 6-night specialty dining package, because the food in the MDR was excellent, Tuscan (in our experience) had really declined, the weather was uncooperative for the Lawn Club, and the staff were aggressively promoting the specialty venues once on board.   You will probably have a different experience with only a 3-night package, and I hope much warmer weather in the Southern Caribbean.

 

Have a great cruise, the Silhouette is our favorite ship!

[scrabble6]

Thanks to all of you for your helpful comments.  Turtles06--nice job on your review!  I had read and enjoyed it previously.  We might do a TA someday, sounds fun and relaxing.