Price Increase - Bistro on 5 & Specialities

[Cruise Junky]

Cannot speak highly enough of Olympic - service, food quality -faultless. Worth every penny so will probably have to pay full price. Lunch too !! Hard life cruising isnt it?

 

Very tough :) We did two dinners in Tuscan and a dinner and lunch in Murano. Worth every penny!

[ghstudio]

The $5 increase isn't going to change minds of very many folks. Those of us who felt $45 wasn't worth it now think $50 still isn't worth it. On our last four cruises (last year), we ate in Qsine twice (once with friends) and SS United States once celebrating our anniversary. Essentially, we don't dine in those restaurants now, and nothing has changed our minds. (BTW, the three meals we did eat in specialty restaurants were discounted with on-board offers).

 

It is a significantly better meal than in the MDR or Blu. Many pay big bucks for suites, aqua, even concierge....they have the discretionary income to do what the want...and $50 isn't going to break those folks....it's just how their minds react to a) price increases and b) the actual price. I expect the prices to rise even further...because I believe the demand is essentially inelastic (economics term)....celebrity could probably charge $75 and they'd get close to the same number of diners at these restaurants

 

The above doesn't apply to bistro on 5....$2 is not enough of a difference to matter to anyone (IMHO). It certainly won't help fill that essentially unused space, but perhaps the extra $2 will be profitable enough that it doesn't get converted into another high fee dining venue.

Edited May 10, 2014 by ghstudio

[purpletequila]

Looks like there will be plenty of discounting in the restaurants. Many people were reluctant to pay the extra price before, but this will add even more to the list of abstainers.

 

 

I agree. I have always eaten at the pay for restaurants but simply will not pay THAT much of an increase.

[Redtravel]

Been there on many cruises. It is nice. However, the dinners in the MDR are wonderful. Are specialty restaurants worth paying an extra $90/couple on top of the price of the dinner that you already paid for in the MDR? When the price went to $45, I decided that it was too much. As far as I am concerned, they can rise it to any amount. I just will not pay for it. Bistro on 5 for $7 is still a good value. It is especially nice late at night when the buffet is limited. It comes down to supply and demand. If there are enough people who will pay the $45pp, then Celebrity will fill their tables. If the $45pp is too high, tables will be empty. On my last cruise in January, we met some people who did eat in Murano. Their thoughts were that it did not warrant the $40pp extra charge.

[sergeant655]

Solstice has just increased the prices as well. Silk harvest is at the 30 dollar level. Murano is 50 and Tuscan grill is 45

[curtdesilets]

We did Murano twice on Century last month. The Restaurant manager took 25% off the 2nd night.

Edited May 11, 2014 by curtdesilets

[Cruise Junky]

Solstice has just increased the prices as well. Silk harvest is at the 30 dollar level. Murano is 50 and Tuscan grill is 45

 

Wow, did we cruise her the right week

[bar_20]

Sometimes I think that Celebrity minds have a tendency to forget that these charges are IN ADDITION to what their guests are already paying for their regular MDR meal. What is that meal worth that you give up when eating in a speciality restaurant? Yes the specialities are nice but when you figure what you have to pay extra, plus what you have already paid, it makes for a very expensive meal.

 

This is true, you have already paid for a dinner meal in either the MDR or Blu. One wonders how much they have cut the quality of the various meats served in the MDR and Blu to make the upgraded restaurants seem like you are getting something special. As long as there are cruisers that will patronize the specialty restaurants they will continue to raise the prices and open more of them.

[Gracie115]

Solstice has just increased the prices as well. Silk harvest is at the 30 dollar level. Murano is 50 and Tuscan grill is 45

 

We've always tipped the wait staff extra when we went to Spec Rest because we didn't feel the "upcharge" was enough of a tip and also questioned whether all of it went to tip anyway....at this point I think IF we decided to go to one we might consider heavily whether additional tipping is necessary....@$90-$100 per couple to eat there, as compared to $40 when we last ate in Normandie back in 2003....the "need" to tip more seems weighted in the other direction now...especially since the food/service is nowhere near at the level it was at back then......or we'll just stay in Blu and take care of our servers there and let the Spec Rest sit mostly empty many nights.....

[Iamcruzin]

I can live the the $2 increase for Bistro but I thought the other restaurants were over priced to being with. If Celebrity can book these restaurants at a higher price good for them.

[BEAV]

Assuming the $29 per day Unlimited Dining Package hasn't increased in price, it's an even better deal that before........

[keithm]

Just got on Eclipse & been told Bistro on 5 is now $7pp, Quisine & Tuscan Grill gone up to $45 & Murano $50. The three speciality restaurants package for $104 seems a better deal now.

I can see that on bistro on 5. We really "ate" our monies worth in Jan. The other rest. frequently discounted up to 30% on Eclipse. It's usually more busy the first 3 days or so, then they start the discounts. You'll see reps from the restaurants trying to "sign" up pax upon returning from excursions. Wait a few days for the discounts.

[keithm]

This is true, you have already paid for a dinner meal in either the MDR or Blu. One wonders how much they have cut the quality of the various meats served in the MDR and Blu to make the upgraded restaurants seem like you are getting something special. As long as there are cruisers that will patronize the specialty restaurants they will continue to raise the prices and open more of them.

Though I found the specialty rest. to be outstanding,we found the meat quality in Moonlight Sonata to be fine. I'm more of a seafood person anyway.

[vulcan1971]

I think the plan is to try to get more people to prepay for meal packages like they have been doing with the drinks

 

The pre-pay option is far better a deal than any discount you may stumble upon.

 

Sent from my Samsung Note 2 on the T-Mobile 4G LTE Network

[ghstudio]

The pre-pay option is far better a deal than any discount you may stumble upon.

 

Sent from my Samsung Note 2 on the T-Mobile 4G LTE Network

 

Too many variables. If you pre-book, celebrity picks the restaurants, you can't pre-book three meals in murano or no meals in silk harvest as part of a package. Discounts on board vary from 50% (first night for aqua passengers...often extended to all passengers), to 20-25%. The key word is, of course, often. Finally, there are some packages only offered on the ships....for example two dinners and a lunch for a given price which was offered on the infinity TA last fall.

 

I think you won't lose anything if you book in advance...if they offer a better/different deal on board and you haven't used any of your prepaid package, I think you can just cancel it for a full refund and then take the package offered on board (check the fine print before you book in advance to make sure I'm right).

[Northern Aurora]

We left the Constellation on Friday following the TA, and, at least on that sailing, apparently the Connie hasn't implemented price changes. We had dinner twice in Tuscan; while our prices were discounted both times, the non-discount price was $35.00. We also had a lovely lunch at Bistro on Five, and the price was still $5.00. But we did not receive a discount coupon for specialty dining on the first night of the cruise in our Aqua Class stateroom.

 

For a change, some days Bistro on Five was actually quite busy.

[kathynorth]

Sometimes I think that Celebrity minds have a tendency to forget that these charges are IN ADDITION to what their guests are already paying for their regular MDR meal. What is that meal worth that you give up when eating in a speciality restaurant? Yes the specialities are nice but when you figure what you have to pay extra, plus what you have already paid, it makes for a very expensive meal.

 

Yes, I see what you mean. If we estimate that a MDR dinner with an appetizer and desert is $25+, then it may be reasonable to conclude that a dinner in Murano actually cost the cruiser $75+pp.

[Cruise Junky]

The pre-pay option is far better a deal than any discount you may stumble upon.

 

Sent from my Samsung Note 2 on the T-Mobile 4G LTE Network

 

Not if you want to pick your own restaurant it isn't. We had zero interest in Silk Harvest and that would have been part of any prepurchased package

[takemewithyou]

I can live the the $2 increase for Bistro but I thought the other restaurants were over priced to being with. If Celebrity can book these restaurants at a higher price good for them.

 

Agree.

we see these restaurants mostly empty and they are always circulating during lunch, etc trying to drum up business.....how does it make sense to raise prices?:confused::confused:

[Cruising89143]

On the Reflection in March the specialty restaurants were very busy. Not sure how many pre booked and how many booked once on board. We dined five nights which were booked prior to the cruise. A couple of times we tried to move our reservation to an earlier time slot with no luck.

[hulamoon]

I have seen these resturants both ways too. Very empty and too busy to get a reservation.

 

Personally I would rather have a little less charge on each and stop the fifty percent off, two for one, or twenty percent off. No one likes to feel foolish about paying too much.

[BosoxI]

Not if you want to pick your own restaurant it isn't. We had zero interest in Silk Harvest and that would have been part of any prepurchased package

 

And Qsine keeps us from getting the packages. As someone previously posted, a $50 meal in Murano is essentially a $75 meal. We like Murano, but $150 puts us in the very rarified air of fine restaurants in our home town, and there are some very fine restaurants here. We usually book Aqua but I'm getting less enchanted with Blu. So what's left? The buffet, which I usually enjoy very much, or MDR which is easily the equal of Blu on most ships. My idea of booking verandas and eating in a specialty restaurant some nights is rapidly becoming book a veranda and eat in the MDR and be happy I'm not cooking.

[bar_20]

On the 28 day cruise on the Solstice we just finished I never saw or heard of a discount offered to one of the three specialty restaurants. The ship was sold out. Maybe it's because the quality of the meals served in the MDR have dropped so much since specially restaurants were introduced that cruisers are willing to pay for something better. We got a free meal in The Bistro on Five and it was nothing special, but then they only were charging $5.00 and it was never full.

[Cruise Junky]

On the 28 day cruise on the Solstice we just finished I never saw or heard of a discount offered to one of the three specialty restaurants. The ship was sold out. Maybe it's because the quality of the meals served in the MDR have dropped so much since specially restaurants were introduced that cruisers are willing to pay for something better. We got a free meal in The Bistro on Five and it was nothing special, but then they only were charging $5.00 and it was never full.

 

We were on the Honolulu to Vancouver portion of that cruise and got 20% off both Tuscan Grille and Murano. You just had to ask

[Andy]

Hi Everyone,

 

Here's a list of the price changes for Specialty Dining. This first price is the previous price, followed by the new price.

 

Here's a tip ! I'm hearing that if you purchase Specialty Dining online, you can still obtain the old pricing, but I'm unsure how long this will continue. Hope the tip offers savings.

 

As always, please note that all information is subject to change. Hope the information is helpful !

 

 

Murano $45 / $50

 

Tuscan Grille $ 35 / $45

 

Qsine $ 45 / $45

 

Lawn Club Grill $ 40 / $ 45

 

Silk Harvest $ 30 / $ 35

 

Bistro on $5 $ 5 / $ 7

 

The Porch $ 5 / $ 7

 

Changes are effective on the following dates :

==============================

 

Celebrity Summit 5/4/14

Celebrity Silhouette 5/5/14

Celebrity Solstice 5/8/14

Celebrity Equinox 5/8/14

Celebrity Constellation 5/9/14

Celebrity Eclipse 5/10/14

Celebrity Infinity 5/12/14

Celebrity Reflection 5/12/14

Celebrity Century 5/18/14

Celebrity Millennium 5/23/14

Edited May 11, 2014 by Host Andy