Celebrity Specialty Dining Packages - Pre Cruise Purchase

[Mermen]

For our upcoming cruise in February 2024, we are putting together and purchasing excursions and dining package, etc. Celebrity offers various quantities for nights in their specialty dining venues. We know that on board, Captains Club will offer a reduced package as well, so need to book that later. But if we were to purchase, say a 4 night specialty dining package online , are we currently able to select what restaurants we want (for example 2 Tuscan and 2 La Petite Chef or 3 of 1 and 1 of another) now or once onboard? 
 

A few years ago we purchased a package and we’re not able to pick and choose at first because the venues had different prices, then. We were being  forced to go to a restaurant, Murano I think, that was a higher price than the restaurant we wanted to go to and the manager was having a fit about us wanting to go to the lower priced option. She eventually permitted it but acted as if she personally had to pay for us and move a mountain. 
 

Thanks in advance for any answers! 

[1025cruise]

If you pre-purchase a dining package, you need to wait until on board to make reservations.

[jelayne]

Reservations for meals with the dining packages can not be made until you are on the ship.  You can choose the venues you want as well as day and time from what is available when you are onboard.  For the more popular restaurants that might mean  your options might be very early or very late times.   
 

If you want a particular day and in prime time I would recommend you book that pre cruise.  That is a bit more expensive but your choice of days and times will be greater.

[DingoMom]

But, to answer your question, for a 3-night package, once on board, you can do the same restaurant x3, or three different restaurants x1, or one restaurant x2 and a different restaurant x1. (It HAS changed from the way it used to be.) Prices of individual restaurants are no longer limiting when you pre-purchase a package.

[Mr. Click]

The one time we tried a 3 night package it was disappointing because we could not pre-book and once we were onboard at noon time we went right to the dining concierge only to be told there were no times avalible that fit our needs so we just ended up canceling the whole package.  Even with OBC to pay for it I won't do it again.

[CruiseCrew123]

I dont believe there is a reduction on speciality restaurants unless you are elite plus 

[Mestizaqueen]

On 7/22/2023 at 11:19 AM, jelayne said:

Reservations for meals with the dining packages can not be made until you are on the ship.  You can choose the venues you want as well as day and time from what is available when you are onboard.  For the more popular restaurants that might mean  your options might be very early or very late times.   

We purchased a dining package.  Once onboard, do you go to the actual specialty restaurant that you want to make the reservation?  Or is there a central podium that we can go to?

[Mermen]

On 7/25/2023 at 3:55 PM, Mestizaqueen said:

We purchased a dining package.  Once onboard, do you go to the actual specialty restaurant that you want to make the reservation?  Or is there a central podium that we can go to?

I recall us going to the specialty dining table the day we boarded, where the beverage table and other add-ons are, from a past cruise. We have also reserved at the venue itself. 

[jelayne]

There are staff outside the Oceanview cafe, in areas near where you board and at all of the specialty restaurants that can book you reservations.

[floralscent]

On 7/25/2023 at 5:55 PM, Mestizaqueen said:

We purchased a dining package.  Once onboard, do you go to the actual specialty restaurant that you want to make the reservation?  Or is there a central podium that we can go to?

We always reserve the dining package pre-cruise- great deal IMO. Before boarding, we figure out where we'd like to eat and what night so when we board, I can go straight to a specialty restaurant and schedule everything at once. I have learned that even if I don't get our preferred dining time, it is worth a call or stop in a restaurant later in the cruise as some cancel their reservation or the venue may just fit you in. Always worth another ask...worse they can say is- so sorry.

[keesar]

On 7/22/2023 at 10:53 AM, Mermen said:

For our upcoming cruise in February 2024, we are putting together and purchasing excursions and dining package, etc. Celebrity offers various quantities for nights in their specialty dining venues. We know that on board, Captains Club will offer a reduced package as well, so need to book that later. But if we were to purchase, say a 4 night specialty dining package online , are we currently able to select what restaurants we want (for example 2 Tuscan and 2 La Petite Chef or 3 of 1 and 1 of another) now or once onboard? 
 

A few years ago we purchased a package and we’re not able to pick and choose at first because the venues had different prices, then. We were being  forced to go to a restaurant, Murano I think, that was a higher price than the restaurant we wanted to go to and the manager was having a fit about us wanting to go to the lower priced option. She eventually permitted it but acted as if she personally had to pay for us and move a mountain. 
 

Thanks in advance for any answers! 

 

Also, do you like to dine around 9 pm?  Those were times offered to us.   If you want a day and time that you prefer, pay the difference and book early online for the restaurant of your choice.  

 

On our cruise in February, the cost of the package of 3 restaurants is $152.   The cost of purchasing  the 3 Specialty Restaurant we want to go to is $154 in which we can choose the day and time.    Easy decision to make.  

[Cruise till you drop]

On 7/22/2023 at 11:05 AM, 1025cruise said:

If you pre-purchase a dining package, you need to wait until on board to make reservations.

Do you get optimal dining time options or is it possible to get only very early or very late times ?

[goofysmom99]

23 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

Do you get optimal dining time options or is it possible to get only very early or very late times ?

Usually only very late.  Very early is high demand.

[NanaChar]

 Because we wanted to have a certain dining time, we booked the the restaurants already.  But we also booked the 3 night dining package to swap it out when we are on the ship.  Has anyone done something like this?  Is it allowed?