How do you prebook dining if there is no time or day available to choose?

[Aldeya]

We are planning to prebook a dining package for our upcoming Summit cruise. Apparently you can't choose a day and time for your booking or even the restauranr you want. How do you prebook your dining?

We are trying Celebrity after cruising with other lines and this prebooking process is quite confusing.

 

Any pointers?

Edited February 17, 2023 by Aldeya

[CU64]

Usually the discounted first night is sold out.

I would not try to prebook unless you have a specific day and time & are celebrating an occasion. Go to the specialty rest when you get on the ship and see what times are available for whatever day you choose. They can usually find something. Often the restaurant not full because they are short staffed & stop reservations.

[Mark_T]

4 hours ago, Aldeya said:

We are planning to prebook a dining package for our upcoming Summit cruise. Apparently you can't choose a day and time for your booking or even the restauranr you want. How do you prebook your dining?

You can't pre-book with a package, that is why you have a discount.

 

Just have to make it a priority to go and make your booking as soon as you board, and hope that you can get what you would prefer.

 

If you want to pre-book you can do that with individual reservations and you'll pay a bit more than if you were using a package, but you get to pick the restaurant, date and time in advance.

 

 

[RichYak]

9 hours ago, Aldeya said:

How do you prebook your dining?

Purchase each specialty restaurant individually, not a dining package.

[Homosassa]

Celebrity is not "Freestyle" where you need to plan, book and pay months before setting foot on the ship.

 

Instead, they use a unique idea where one can decide what one might like to do once on board ship and make the choices on your preference for that day.

[actuarian]

7 hours ago, Mark_T said:

You can't pre-book with a package, that is why you have a discount.

I have seen this same statement many times before but, especially on M-Class ships, it is a mistake to assume that dining packages always provide a discount. For example, ignoring the gratuities which get charged regardless of whether or not you purchase a package, a 3-night package on my February 20, 2023 Summit cruise would cost me $143.99, although it provides only a $30 credit if used at Sushi on Five. If I do not purchase the package and instead purchase and reserve the meals in advance, I pay $54.99 for Le Petit Chef and $49.99 for Tuscan Grill. That adds up to $104.98.  Adding on the $30 credit at Sushi, one prepaid and pre-reserved meal at each of the three restaurants costs a total of $134.98 or $9.01 per person less than the package costs. So it is always worth checking the prices for advance reservations before deciding whether or not to purchase a package. These prices vary depending on the sailing date and the purchaser's Captains Club status.

Edited February 17, 2023 by actuarian

[Mark_T]

1 hour ago, actuarian said:

...although it provides only a $30 credit if used at Sushi on Five.

The message here is don't use the package for Sushi on 5, or Raw on 5...

 

I think the credits are now $35 / $40 respectively but it doesn't change the calculation.

 

The package does give you a discount as long as you don't use it on the restaurants with a la carte pricing.

[actuarian]

On 2/17/2023 at 1:38 PM, Mark_T said:

The message here is don't use the package for Sushi on 5, or Raw on 5...

 

I think the credits are now $35 / $40 respectively but it doesn't change the calculation.

 

The package does give you a discount as long as you don't use it on the restaurants with a la carte pricing.

That is why I specifically said "especially on M-Class ships". On M-Class ships, there are only three specialty restaurants. Therefore, if you get a 3-meal (or more) package, you have to either use it in the same restaurant twice or use it in restaurants with a la carte pricing. Since the specialty restaurant menus do not change from day to day, many people may not want to go to the same one twice unless they are on one of the longer itineraries.

 

As of today, the description of the package in "Plan My Cruise" still includes "Guests dining in Sushi on Five or in Raw on 5 will receive a maximum of $30 credit towards the food items on their bill."

[Mark_T]

4 minutes ago, actuarian said:

As of today, the description of the package in "Plan My Cruise" still includes "Guests dining in Sushi on Five or in Raw on 5 will receive a maximum of $30 credit towards the food items on their bill."

Wouldn’t be the first time the Plan My Cruise descriptions have been inaccurate lately…

 

Check the text at the bottom of this page, it seems to be more up to date generally. 

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/gb/things-to-do-onboard/onboard-packages/dining-packages