Cost of Specialty Dining

[shipshape sam]

On 6/6/2023 at 12:06 AM, mahasamatman said:

 

Plus 18%.

More than we want to pay most of the time.  We used to buy packages, but now only once per cruise if that.    Sailed Beyond this past January and ate in MDR for all dinners.  Liked the 4 themed restaurants, especially the lamb shank. For sure there is  value in speciality restaurants, just not enough for us anymore.   🙂

Edited June 10, 2023 by shipshape sam

[Alakegirl]

4 hours ago, mickey89 said:

Are you sure?  How do you know?  Someone told you, can you believe?

Gratuities are steeped in mystery, is it another revenue stream for the cruise line?

NO ONE really knows..... its just hearsay !

If the waitstaff were not happy with the way the gratuities were allocated, they would find work elsewhere.  That’s good enough for us.

 

 

[tserface]

7 hours ago, Alakegirl said:

If the waitstaff were not happy with the way the gratuities were allocated, they would find work elsewhere.  That’s good enough for us.

 

 

I agree with you.  We always just tip whatever we want without regard to feeling pressure.  We always pay the service charges as well and assume the cruise line is not stealing them from their own staff 🙂

[CruiseTimeAgain2]

I just called Celebrity today 6-12-2023 and was told the Ultimate Dining package is not available anymore. They said it has been gone for a while.

[neverlaysup]

On 6/6/2023 at 3:38 AM, Cruise a holic said:

We usually take the Unlimited package- even through we are in a suite.  While the service in Luminae is great- we prefer dinner in the specialty restaurants, especially on S and Edge class ships.  Cost will vary depending upon the ship, date of travel and length of cruise.  IMO worth it, especially if you do not have access to the suite dining room.

I have never seen the "Unlimited package" unless you are speaking of booking a Royal or above suite.

[Cruise a holic]

8 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

I have never seen the "Unlimited package" unless you are speaking of booking a Royal or above suite.

I have it!  Silhouette Jan 2 - 9 night cruise!

[Cruise a holic]

Just now, Cruise a holic said:

I have it!  Silhouette Jan 2 - 9 night cruise!

In a sky suite.

[Mark_T]

That is not 'Unlimited' it is 9 nights and no lunches...

[Cruise a holic]

28 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

That is not 'Unlimited' it is 9 nights and no lunches...

Yes lunch included- Perhaps you cannot read the fine print.  Under the heading Highlights.  Have had it previously, familiar with how it works-  IMO worth it.

Edited June 13, 2023 by Cruise a holic

[Mark_T]

56 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

Yes lunch included- Perhaps you cannot read the fine print.  Under the heading Highlights.  Have had it previously, familiar with how it works-  IMO worth it.

It is either lunch or dinner though surely? 9 reservations in total not potentially 18?

[Cruise a holic]

11 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

I have never seen the "Unlimited package" unless you are speaking of booking a Royal or above suite.

 

[Cruise a holic]

9 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

It is either lunch or dinner though surely? 9 reservations in total not potentially 18?

Not all  special restaurants open daily for lunch

[Mark_T]

1 hour ago, Cruise a holic said:

Not all  special restaurants open daily for lunch

Understood obviously, just trying to get clarity on what you have bought since you said it was 'Unlimited'...

 

I've always read the 'x night package' to mean x reservations each of which could be lunch or dinner but not both... so you can't book, say, Tuscan for 9 dinners and Sushi for 9 lunches with your 9 night package...?

 

... or have I got that wrong?

[mickey89]

The original ULTIMATE Dining Package has been discontinued since 2017.  With this package you could dine in any specialty restaurant in the evening for the full duration of the cruise, it was never listed with a number of nights. You also could take lunch in any specialty restaurant which was open, which was normally just once or twice during the cruise.  We always took lunch in the Bistro-on-Five for free with this package. But when the Bistro on Five changed to Sushi on Five the Ultimate package was withdrawn.  It is not possible to buy this package today even if you have the Penthouse suite. 

Celebrity replaced the UDP with multiple dining occasions like the one mention above. If its a 10 night cruise the maximum package available today is the 9-night package as you can just add the first night at 30% discount to complete the experience.

Edited June 13, 2023 by mickey89

[mahdnc]

4 minutes ago, mickey89 said:

The original ULTIMATE Dining Package has been discontinued since 2018.  With this package you could dine in any specialty restaurant in the evening for the full duration of the cruise, it was never listed with a number of nights. You also could take lunch in any specialty restaurant which was open, which was normally just once or twice during the cruise.  We always took lunch in the Bistro-on-Five for free with this package. But when the Bistro on Five changed to Sushi on Five the Ultimate package was withdrawn.  It is not possible to buy this package today even if you have the Penthouse suite. 

Celebrity replaced the UDP with multiple dining occasions like the one mention above. If its a 10 night cruise the maximum package available today is the 9-night package as you can just add the first night at 30% discount to complete the experience.

 

What is the difference between the discontinued Ultimate Dining Package and what @Cruise a holic is showing in an earlier post?  For a 9 night sailing (Jan 2 2024 Silhouette), a 9 night specialty dining package including lunch is being offered.

 

[mickey89]

1 minute ago, mahdnc said:

 

What is the difference between the discontinued Ultimate Dining Package and what @Cruise a holic is showing in an earlier post?  For a 9 night sailing (Jan 2 2024 Silhouette), a 9 night specialty dining package including lunch is being offered.

 

As I said the Ultimate Dining package is no longer available, anyone who disagrees just talk to Specialty Dining Reservation Dept.   I always purchased the Ultimate dining package from 2013 until it was discontinued from memory was about 2017 when they reconfigured the The Bistro to the now, Sushi on Five. I just bought the 9 night package during the Wave sale for our November 2023 Equinox cruise for US$294pp the same as (Cruise a holic) posted, just 9 reservations (I could use one of the 9 for lunch if I choose).

[Mark_T]

1 minute ago, mickey89 said:

...just 9 reservations (I could use one of the 9 for lunch if I choose).

Exactly, that is my understanding as well, you can book lunch and dinner on the same day in different restaurants but you would use 2 of your 9 allowed reservations to do it...

 

This is not 'Unlimited' ...

[mickey89]

1 minute ago, Mark_T said:

Exactly, that is my understanding as well, you can book lunch and dinner on the same day in different restaurants but you would use 2 of your 9 allowed reservations to do it...

 

This is not 'Unlimited' ...

Agree, Cruise a holic is confused....

 

[Cruise a holic]

42 minutes ago, mickey89 said:

Agree, Cruise a holic is confused....

 

Never had a problem.  Will advise in January after my cruise.  I expect no change.  Just had the unlimited package on the apex in march and it included all dinners and lunch.  Sky suite

[neverlaysup]

5 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

I have it!  Silhouette Jan 2 - 9 night cruise!

That's only 9 specialty meals. Unlimited means you can do lunch and dinner every day in specialty restaurants, not only 9 meals. Big difference it what you are saying. When we occasionally sail Royal, we buy the Unlimited Dining Package because I dislike the MDR and Coastal Kitchen and it allows me to eat at almost any paying venue for free....unlimited (or a $20 credit per visit).

[Cruise a holic]

1 hour ago, neverlaysup said:

That's only 9 specialty meals. Unlimited means you can do lunch and dinner every day in specialty restaurants, not only 9 meals. Big difference it what you are saying. When we occasionally sail Royal, we buy the Unlimited Dining Package because I dislike the MDR and Coastal Kitchen and it allows me to eat at almost any paying venue for free....unlimited (or a $20 credit per visit).

Again not how I remember it.  I certainly wouldn’t substitute a lunch in a specialty restaurant.  The menu different and typically costs much less.  If things have changed will if we want pay for lunches