Is it still possible to get a discount on specialty dining on the ship? Also, pre-purchased specialty dining voucher question

[MisterBill99]

We're going to be on Silhouette in a few weeks. Last time we were on the ship (several years ago) I was able to negotiate a 30%+ discount on specialty dining the day that we wanted to eat there, especially if I walked up and the restaurant wasn't very busy. Is this still the case, or are they sticking to regular price? Yes, I know it depends on how busy the cruise is, but my experience was that Lawn Club Grill was never full, and it's our favorite.

 

The real reason I'm asking is that I am buying OBC to redeem an AMEX offer but also noticed that I can purchase specialty a dining meal for $45 in the same gift section, and it's valid on Millennium and Solstice class ships (not Edge class). It's not clear if the 18% tip would be added when used on the ship, but even without it, it's cheaper than I can pre-book a meal online (and obviously cheaper than paying full price on board).

 

So basically, I'm wondering whether I should just buy OBC and assume that I'll be able to eat for less than $45, and whether the dining voucher actually includes the gratuity.

 

Here's the wording from their site (Celebrity Cruises)

 

Specialty Restaurant

Give your family or friends a night to remember at a specialty restaurant* onboard with certificates covering surcharge for dining in these elegant venues. Only available on Celebrity Solstice Class and Celebrity Millennium Class.

*If specialty dining cover charge is less than $35 per person a credit will be applied to the guest account onboard.

 

[cruisestitch]

I am currently on Silhouette, we have not been able to negotiate anything more than 20% other than on embarkation night where the offer was 30%

[bikerunner]

7 hours ago, MisterBill99 said:

We're going to be on Silhouette in a few weeks. Last time we were on the ship (several years ago) I was able to negotiate a 30%+ discount on specialty dining the day that we wanted to eat there, especially if I walked up and the restaurant wasn't very busy. Is this still the case, or are they sticking to regular price? Yes, I know it depends on how busy the cruise is, but my experience was that Lawn Club Grill was never full, and it's our favorite.

 

The real reason I'm asking is that I am buying OBC to redeem an AMEX offer but also noticed that I can purchase specialty a dining meal for $45 in the same gift section, and it's valid on Millennium and Solstice class ships (not Edge class). It's not clear if the 18% tip would be added when used on the ship, but even without it, it's cheaper than I can pre-book a meal online (and obviously cheaper than paying full price on board).

 

So basically, I'm wondering whether I should just buy OBC and assume that I'll be able to eat for less than $45, and whether the dining voucher actually includes the gratuity.

 

Here's the wording from their site (Celebrity Cruises)

 

Specialty Restaurant

Give your family or friends a night to remember at a specialty restaurant* onboard with certificates covering surcharge for dining in these elegant venues. Only available on Celebrity Solstice Class and Celebrity Millennium Class.

*If specialty dining cover charge is less than $35 per person a credit will be applied to the guest account onboard.

 

Use the OBC method, from my understanding those dining certificates are only face value, ie for example if you use the certificate at LCG where it costs 55...the 45 will just be deducted overall so will still owe 10 plus the grats on the meal on the whole 55.  Its worded terribly overall, if it said full coverage for the meal might work but it does not.  

[Ex-Airbalancer]

I think Celebrity’s speciality restaurants are not worth the extra cost 

if you want to go , get friendly with the hotel director and he will probably offer 50% off 

That happen to us , but couldnt go as it was a friend’s birthday and had order her a cake for that night 

Edited September 4 by Ex-Airbalancer

[MisterBill99]

8 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

I am currently on Silhouette, we have not been able to negotiate anything more than 20% other than on embarkation night where the offer was 30%

 

Thanks, good to hear from a like-minded cruiser (and on the ship in question, too!). I remember eating at the Lawn Club Grill on embarkation night out of Amsterdam in 2017 on a British Isles cruise. It was so windy, we needed blankets (which they provided). But the meal was great. I think there were a dozen of us (we'd met here on CC and at the Banks Mansion hotel in Amsterdam).

 

I'll definitely plan to eat there the first night. And even 20% is better than what's being offered for prebooking.

Edited September 4 by MisterBill99

[MisterBill99]

4 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

I think Celebrity’s speciality restaurants are not worth the extra cost 

if you want to go , get friendly with the hotel director and he will probably offer 50% off 

That happen to us , but couldnt go as it was a friend’s birthday and had order her a cake for that night 

 

I would generally agree, but we have really enjoyed Lawn Club Grill on our past sailings on Silhouette. Hopefully it's still good. 

[MisterBill99]

4 hours ago, bikerunner said:

Use the OBC method, from my understanding those dining certificates are only face value, ie for example if you use the certificate at LCG where it costs 55...the 45 will just be deducted overall so will still owe 10 plus the grats on the meal on the whole 55.  Its worded terribly overall, if it said full coverage for the meal might work but it does not.  

 

Wow, I would be really upset if someone had given me that and I ended up having to pay! 

[MisterBill99]

Update, I found the older thread where this was discussed, and it really is just a credit. If that's the case, why wouldn't it be available for Edge class ships?

 

 

Edited September 4 by MisterBill99

[mahdnc]

10 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

I am currently on Silhouette, we have not been able to negotiate anything more than 20% other than on embarkation night where the offer was 30%

 

However you can get your Captains Club discount, correct (15% for E+ or 25% for Z)?

[39august]

I thought it was 20% for Z?

[MisterBill99]

18 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

However you can get your Captains Club discount, correct (15% for E+ or 25% for Z)?

 

I didn't know that, since it's going to be our first cruise as Elite+. But I'd hope for better than 15%, anyway.

[mahdnc]

6 minutes ago, 39august said:

I thought it was 20% for Z?

 

Not according to the current benefits table on Celebrity's website: link

If you click on the image below, it will be more readable:

[mahdnc]

3 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

I didn't know that, since it's going to be our first cruise as Elite+. But I'd hope for better than 15%, anyway.

 

With a few exceptions here and there, most people are reporting that the discount cannot be obtained when you book in advance even if the specialty dining is not subject to a special sale at the time.  You have to wait until you get on board.  I have a couple of specialty dining reservations that I am waiting until I get on board to get my discount applied.  It shouldn't have to be this much work.

Edited September 4 by mahdnc

[MisterBill99]

2 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

With a few exceptions here and there, most people are reporting that the discount cannot be obtained when you book in advance even if the specialty dining is not subject to a special sale at the time.  You have to wait until you get on board.  I have a couple of specialty dining reservations that I am waiting until I get on board to get my discount applied.  It shouldn't have to be this much work.

 

Isn't that the case with the Internet and drink packages as well? Need to wait until you're on board to get the discount.

[mahdnc]

21 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

Isn't that the case with the Internet and drink packages as well? Need to wait until you're on board to get the discount.

 

You can get the CC benefit discount for internet (for sure) and drink package (I think) before you cruise although it will only stack with the standard pre-cruise discount.  It cannot be combined with a flash sale, etc.  The CC benefit discount can be obtained by phone.  For a while, Celebrity was offering the Captains Club benefit discount online in your Cruise Planner (and it was clearly declared as a  Captains Club discount) but I have found its application inconsistent among sailings.

Edited September 4 by mahdnc

[jelayne]

3 hours ago, 39august said:

I thought it was 20% for Z?

Nope, 25%

[MisterBill99]

5 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

You can get the CC benefit discount for internet (for sure) and drink package (I think) before you cruise although it will only stack with the standard pre-cruise discount.  It cannot be combined with a flash sale, etc.  The CC benefit discount can be obtained by phone.  For a while, Celebrity was offering the Captains Club benefit discount online in your Cruise Planner (and it was clearly declared as a  Captains Club discount) but I have found its application inconsistent among sailings.

 

Thanks, I didn't know that. I see that the premium package is currently on sale for 35% off, but presumably I'd get the normal 10% and 35% if I called. Or I could just do the basic package, which has always been sufficient for me. Will they be able to use my non-refundable OBC that shows up on my account, or will I have to pay for it separately? If so, I probably should have done that before buying a bunch of OBC to redeem the AMEX offer (although that's all refundable and I'll have it back at the end of the month).

Edited September 5 by MisterBill99

[Liao]

45 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

Thanks, I didn't know that. I see that the premium package is currently on sale for 35% off, but presumably I'd get the normal 10% and 35% if I called. Or I could just do the basic package, which has always been sufficient for me. Will they be able to use my non-refundable OBC that shows up on my account, or will I have to pay for it separately? If so, I probably should have done that before buying a bunch of OBC to redeem the AMEX offer (although that's all refundable and I'll have it back at the end of the month).

You can use the OBC for the purchase, whether on the phone with a CSR or doing it yourself on line.  I just did this with the non-alcoholic package, I used the "sale" price because it was a lot more than using my Elite discount.  I paid 26.99/pp/pd and it is now on "sale" for $39.99.

[MisterBill99]

15 minutes ago, Liao said:

You can use the OBC for the purchase, whether on the phone with a CSR or doing it yourself on line.  I just did this with the non-alcoholic package, I used the "sale" price because it was a lot more than using my Elite discount.  I paid 26.99/pp/pd and it is now on "sale" for $39.99.

 

Thanks. I knew I could use OBC online, but thought I recalled not being able to use it over the phone. It was a while ago, maybe it changed, or maybe it was a different line.

[Liao]

2 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

Thanks. I knew I could use OBC online, but thought I recalled not being able to use it over the phone. It was a while ago, maybe it changed, or maybe it was a different line.

I didn't know it either.  I booked, for the first time, a cruise only fare, while on the phone, she asked if was interested ina drink package, I told her I wanted non-alcoholic.  She told me the price and asked if I wanted to use any OBC, so she did it right then.  

[luv2cruisemore]

I called today and booked Eden for our anniversary dinner on the Apex in November. They would only give me the 5% flash sale price plus they added an 18% tip. I asked about my 15% Elite + discount and was sold I had to have the Maitre D’ credit the difference to my account when I’m aboard the ship. We sail in Aqua class and eat in Blu so we rarely use specialty restaurants but I’ve seen so many rave reviews of Eden I decided that for this special occasion we would try it.