15% discount on Speciality Dining Elite+

[Just love 2 cruise]

Hello fellow cruisers.

 

I was told by Celebrity that the 15% discount on dining in a speciality restaurant is for the person who is Elite+. In order to get the time and restaurant we wanted we had to pre-pay our dinner but because I am Elite + Celebrity would not give me the 15% off at time of purchase. I was told I could get the 15% credited back to my Visa card when onboard. I really suspect that the discount gets credited to your onboard ship account and not your credit card.

I am not sure why X cannot give you the discount at time of booking whether on the ship or purchasing before the cruise, but according to them, the 15% is only refunded on board the ship

 

Has anyone who has recently sailed experienced what really happens.

Thanks

[BEAV]

The Elite + 15% specialty restaurant perk is very new with the recent Captain's Club overhaul, so I doubt you'll get a lot of feedback at this point. But from what I've read on other posts here, the word from Celebrity is consistent that if you pre-book specialty restaurants you pay 100% up front and the 15% discount comes back to you on board in the from of a credit to your on board account.

 

Celebrity's website experience is quite unlike their on board experience in that it's riddled with problems that seemingly never get fixed or resolved. I wouldn't expect their IT department to program in a 15% discount when booking/paying specialty restaurants if you're Elite +. Ain't gonna happen!

 

Personally, I'm finished booking/prepaying specialty restaurants ahead of time. It's a well-known fact that the restaurants hold back a large amount of inventory, leaving a lesser percentage available for advance bookings on the website. Last year I was having trouble booking Murano in advance with only 9:00pm (or later) times available on the website. I decided to just wait until we boarded and was able to book everything directly with the restaurant and secure the times I wanted. And this wasn't just for one evening, but multiple nights on a 15 night cruise.

[Cruising89143]

This is really no different than those booking suites and receiving the complimentary specialty dining. If we book ahead of time we have to pay and then they refund that amount to our SeaPass account.

Edited December 18, 2013 by cruisingator2

[mcrcruiser]

It's called the X shuffle .Enjoy:eek:

[CHEZMARYLOU]

This is really no different than those booking suites and receiving the complimentary specialty dining. If we book ahead of time we have to pay and then they refund that amount to our SeaPass account.

 

If you call Celebrity you can pre book your complimentary dining and do not have to pay for it and wait for a refund. The number is on the web site under book specialty dining.

 

Mary Lou

[Just love 2 cruise]

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like the 15% is refunded on to to sea pass card so that you spend it on the ship (sigh) instead of back on the credit card where I wanted it to go.

I think it is hit and miss on speciality dining times. On the web, you are correct it is 'blocked/full' at prime times. But even on the ship, the last time I tried to get a seating (saw the maître d' on boarding) and was told they had a 9:00pm opening for the night I wanted, which was not a formal night. Then I tried a couple of other times and was told the same thing. So now, To ensure I get the time I want I book with a celebrity agent at the beginning.

[Hapytocruise]

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like the 15% is refunded on to to sea pass card so that you spend it on the ship (sigh) instead of back on the credit card where I wanted it to go.

I think it is hit and miss on speciality dining times. On the web, you are correct it is 'blocked/full' at prime times. But even on the ship, the last time I tried to get a seating (saw the maître d' on boarding) and was told they had a 9:00pm opening for the night I wanted, which was not a formal night. Then I tried a couple of other times and was told the same thing. So now, To ensure I get the time I want I book with a celebrity agent at the beginning.

 

The 15% discount is not too much to get excited about when it has been pretty easy to get anywhere from 25% to 50% discount onboard when they are out in the public areas trying to sell the specialty restaurants. Unless of course you get the 15% off whatever the best deal they happen to be offering :rolleyes: - but I doubt it.