Speciality restaurant charges?

[Padme_Amidala_Skywalker]

I am doing cruise in November... is the Chef's thing a wine paring or is that different? I would love to do a wine\dinner paring. I also will be on look out for discount specials. Champagne tea or brunch? Worth it? What is prices for that now...

[mpbmark]

I am doing cruise in November... is the Chef's thing a wine paring or is that different? I would love to do a wine\dinner paring. I also will be on look out for discount specials. Champagne tea or brunch? Worth it? What is prices for that now...

 

Both the Chef's table and the Connoisseur dinner are wine pairing dinners usually with unlimited pours.

[Padme_Amidala_Skywalker]

What I the difference between the two dinners? And do you remember a price for them?? Which one do you recommend?

[mpbmark]

What I the difference between the two dinners? And do you remember a price for them?? Which one do you recommend?

 

Checking my notes from 5/12 Panama Canal cruise on Millennium, the Connoisseur Dinner was $90 per person and was 4 courses with wine for each course. I believe it was in the Olympic restaurant. This dinner is usually advertised.

 

The Chef's Table was $279 per couple and was held in the galley. Included pre- dinner cocktails in the wine room of Olympic and then escorted thru dining room into kitchen. Special dinner was prepared by head chef at the table. Can't recall # of courses but each also had special wine. Included photos, cookbook and rose for the ladies. This dinner is not advertised.

 

I usually seek out the sommelier in cellarmasters but if it doesn't exist, check in the main specialty restaurant. You can also check with a specialty restaurant head waiter.

 

Signing up or setting up these dinners is something I do as soon as possible.

 

They are different experiences but if the galley dinner is available, I'd do that. If not, the Connoisseur is quite a bit less expensive. On my upcoming cruise, I will be doing the Connoisseur dinner with the dozen people traveling with me and I'll set it up within a couple of hours of boarding.

Edited September 5, 2014 by mpbmark

[GUT2407]

Do they offer either without the wine?

[Padme_Amidala_Skywalker]

Thanks! I will be on the Silhouette and would love to do either one if I can arrange it.

[Sloop-JohnB]

To be honest, I am beginning to wonder if some of the posters here have not got various Dinners mixed up...

 

Mr Sloop & I are big foodies and wine lovers... So we tend to pay a lot of attention to the Food & Wine events that Celebrity offers... Part of the reason we picked Celebrity when we began cruising.

 

There is a Food & Wine Pairing Dinner served by Murano's (and her equvalent on the M-Class Ships = Ocean Liners - The Normandie - The Olympic - SS United States)... This meal is served in those venues, and costs aprox $ 90 each. It currently goes by the name "The 5 Senses" but in the past it has had other names, and I recall that back in 2012 it came with a copy of the then newly released Celebrity Cookbook "Excite The Senses". The current 5 Senses Dinner has 5 courses with matched wine pairings

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/cruise-restaurants-murano (click on 5 Senses at the top of the Murano's Menu)

 

The Chef's Dinner, as I've always known it, was something new back then... And replicated Chef Dinner experiences on land where the Guests get a look behind the scenes and a meal prepared in the Kitchen... So The Chef can talk while he cooks (Mr Sloop & I have been to several Chef's Dinners on land). As I recall in 2013 this experience on Celebrity was going for $ 199* I was pretty sure that was per person... (cause I remember thinking how expensive it was... And at $ 400 a couple, that would indeed be steep for us. We have done these on land... so not really a truly new experience for us. Ones on land have run us around the $ 150 mark per person). As others have said, Chef's Dinners are usually top drawer, with great food and drink... And far from the norm (read Expensive Ingredients)... And a chance for The Chef to really show their skills and also teach a bit too. For the Wine end of things... There is usually a very knowledgable Sommelier present to not only pour the wines but again to give some educational info as well (partner to what The Chef is doing with the food)

 

* My $ 199 pricing would be as of 2012 & 2013 (last time we sailed). Could see where that might be $ 249 now considering that Celebrity raised the prices on Food & Wine items earlier this year

 

I will see if I cannot find my old Celebrity Todays for more info... Especially on the Chef's Dinners, cause I remember being told at the time that this was a new experience for Celebrity's Guests.

 

--- --- ---

I am doing cruise in November... is the Chef's thing a wine paring or is that different? I would love to do a wine\dinner paring. I also will be on look out for discount specials. Champagne tea or brunch? Worth it? What is prices for that now...

 

The Sea Day Brunch doesn't exist any more... celebrity got rid of it fleet wide. :mad: Too bad, cause I got to say I did enjoy it... Will now treasure my photos of this event even more... The artistic presentation was gorgeous... Including the decorative elements as well like the ice sculptures & food carving.

 

There is now a pseudo brunch evidently served in the Buffet one day... But just a fraction of what the Sea Day Brunch was like... And by all accounts a disappointment.

 

The only other Brunch (in quotations) that I have heard of is the one they are experimenting with for Suite Pax on E-Day... Something that may eventually be part of the New Suite AI Experience & the Suite DR when it all rolls out in April 2015.

 

Additionally, we have seen a Free Chocolate Buffet event in the past held late night in the Lounge area at the top of the ship. A chocoholics dream... Cakes, cookies, ice cram, chocolate fountain etc. Chocolate overload... So much so that Mr Sloop and I only went to see / take photos.

 

Champagne Tea is a Specialty Dining Event... The one I attended was held in Murano's on a Sea Day. Absolutely lovely. The String Quartet played, and you wre greeted with Champagne. Muranos was the perfect venue... Linen, china, crystal and wonderful service. Forte Teas, Finger Sandwiches, Scones, and Petit Fours, Squares and mini pastries for dessert. Tea & Food was all you could want. It was a very wonderful afternoon, very leisurely... My GF and I sat & chatted for hours. Loved the whole experience... As I recall the price was quite reasonable $ 25 each... Have had similar quality Afternoon Teas here at home in Canada at the "Chateau" Hotles and have paid more than double. Would do again.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers!

Edited September 6, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[mpbmark]

To be honest, I am beginning to wonder if some of the posters here have not got various Dinners mixed up...

 

Mr Sloop & I are big foodies and wine lovers... So we tend to pay a lot of attention to the Food & Wine events that Celebrity offers... Part of the reason we picked Celebrity when we began cruising.

 

There is a Food & Wine Pairing Dinner served by Murano's (and her equvalent on the M-Class Ships = Ocean Liners - The Normandie - The Olympic - SS United States)... This meal is served in those venues, and costs aprox $ 90 each. It currently goes by the name "The 5 Senses" but in the past it has had other names, and I recall that back in 2012 it came with a copy of the then newly released Celebrity Cookbook "Excite The Senses". The current 5 Senses Dinner has 5 courses with matched wine pairings

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/cruise-restaurants-murano (click on 5 Senses at the top of the Murano's Menu)

 

The Chef's Dinner, as I've always known it, was something new back then... And replicated Chef Dinner experiences on land where the Guests get a look behind the scenes and a meal prepared in the Kitchen... So The Chef can talk while he cooks (Mr Sloop & I have been to several Chef's Dinners on land). As I recall in 2013 this experience on Celebrity was going for $ 199* I was pretty sure that was per person... (cause I remember thinking how expensive it was... And at $ 400 a couple, that would indeed be steep for us. We have done these on land... so not really a truly new experience for us. Ones on land have run us around the $ 150 mark per person). As others have said, Chef's Dinners are usually top drawer, with great food and drink... And far from the norm (read Expensive Ingredients)... And a chance for The Chef to really show their skills and also teach a bit too. For the Wine end of things... There is usually a very knowledgable Sommelier present to not only pour the wines but again to give some educational info as well (partner to what The Chef is doing with the food)

 

* My $ 199 pricing would be as of 2012 & 2013 (last time we sailed). Could see where that might be $ 249 now considering that Celebrity raised the prices on Food & Wine items earlier this year

 

I will see if I cannot find my old Celebrity Todays for more info... Especially on the Chef's Dinners, cause I remember being told at the time that this was a new experience for Celebrity's Guests....

 

Well, you may be right. I can only report that from my notes on our 2012 Millennium cruise, the dinners we paid for and attended were called "Chef's Table" in the galley at $279 per couple and Connoisseur Dinner at $190 per couple. According to the sommelier who set it up, it was the first time a Chef's Table was done on Millennium and friends have said they haven't done another one, but I have no first hand info on that.

 

On our 2013 Med cruise on Reflection, we did the Chef's Table dinner held in the wine room off of Murano. I don't seem to have any pricing info but believe the price was about the same $280 or so.

[hasentreelake]

......

 

There is a Food & Wine Pairing Dinner served by Murano's (and her equvalent on the M-Class Ships = Ocean Liners - The Normandie - The Olympic - SS United States)... This meal is served in those venues, and costs aprox $ 90 each. It currently goes by the name "The 5 Senses" but in the past it has had other names, and I recall that back in 2012 it came with a copy of the then newly released Celebrity Cookbook "Excite The Senses". The current 5 Senses Dinner has 5 courses with matched wine pairings

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/cruise-restaurants-murano (click on 5 Senses at the top of the Murano's Menu)

 

 

 

We will be on the Connie in 2015 and are considering a Specialty Dinner Package. We are considering the 5 Senses dinner at $90 pp. Is that $90 pp in addition to the package price ? or is this discounted to $45 if you have the dinner package?

 

(Also want to thank all you regulars for posting so much information - this board has provided so much in terms of reference material -- Thankyou!)

[Lsimon]

We will be on the Connie in 2015 and are considering a Specialty Dinner Package. We are considering the 5 Senses dinner at $90 pp. Is that $90 pp in addition to the package price ? or is this discounted to $45 if you have the dinner package?

 

(Also want to thank all you regulars for posting so much information - this board has provided so much in terms of reference material -- Thankyou!)

 

The Five Senses dinner is a wine pairing option offered every night at Muranos (and the M class equivalent restaurants). The total price is $90 (or was) which includes the basic service charge. They do require that everyone at the table must choose either the Five Senses menu or the regular ala carte menu. Sorry but I don't know how they price the Five Senses menu if one already has a dinner package.

 

To be honest, I am beginning to wonder if some of the posters here have not got various Dinners mixed up...

 

 

...There is a Food & Wine Pairing Dinner served by Murano's (and her equvalent on the M-Class Ships = Ocean Liners - The Normandie - The Olympic - SS United States)... This meal is served in those venues, and costs aprox $ 90 each. It currently goes by the name "The 5 Senses" but in the past it has had other names, and I recall that back in 2012 it came with a copy of the then newly released Celebrity Cookbook "Excite The Senses". The current 5 Senses Dinner has 5 courses with matched wine pairings

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/cruise-restaurants-murano (click on 5 Senses at the top of the Murano's Menu)

 

The Five Senses dinner has been called that since 2010 and, as I said above, is an every night option at Muranos and the similar M class restaurants. Before 2010 they had the same every night option but it was called the "Menu Exceptionnel".

 

In addition to the every night Five Senses menu they usually also offer a special wine dinner once each cruise. This has been offered under several different names over the years but it is usually called the Wine Connoisseur's Dinner or has that as part of the name. It is generally a higher price than the Five Senses dinner and I've seen it range from under $100 to over $150. I suspect that this is the dinner that you're recalling was at one time priced to include a copy of the Excite the Senses Cookbook. On S class ships it is sometimes held in Muranos and sometimes in Tuscan Grill but generally has a menu with selections from, or similar to the Muranos menu.

Edited September 23, 2014 by Lsimon

[Sloop-JohnB]

The Five Senses dinner is a wine pairing option offered every night at Muranos (and the M class equivalent restaurants). The total price is $90 (or was) which includes the basic service charge. They do require that everyone at the table must choose either the Five Senses menu or the regular ala carte menu. Sorry but I don't know how they price the Five Senses menu if one already has a dinner package.

 

 

 

The Five Senses dinner has been called that since 2010 and, as I said above, is an every night option at Muranos and the similar M class restaurants. Before 2010 they had the same every night option but it was called the "Menu Exceptionnel".

 

In addition to the every night Five Senses menu they usually also offer a special wine dinner once each cruise. This has been offered under several different names over the years but it is usually called the Wine Connoisseur's Dinner or has that as part of the name. It is generally a higher price than the Five Senses dinner and I've seen it range from under $100 to over $150. I suspect that this is the dinner that you're recalling was at one time priced to include a copy of the Excite the Senses Cookbook. On S class ships it is sometimes held in Muranos and sometimes in Tuscan Grill but generally has a menu with selections from, or similar to the Muranos menu.

 

Thank you Larry...

 

Lol, leave it to you and your excellent recall of past events.

 

That explains it then at least 3 different "upscale" Dinners of record:

 

* 5 Senses Wine & Food Pairing - Murano's

* Wine Connoisseur's Dinner - various venues

* Chef's Table Dinner - Ship Galley or other venue

 

And all at various price points (none of which anyone could term cheap ;) )

 

Not sure which one we will do on our upcoming cruises, but I am going to keep my eye on the Dailies to see if either of the last two are on offer

 

Cheers!

[Lsimon]

I'll add that, unlike the other wine dinners, the Five Senses is just an option when ordering at Muranos. You don't need to make a decision between the Five Senses menu and the Ala Carte menu at Muranos until it is time to order so the reservation process is the same. Although if you are dining with a group you might want to discuss it ahead of time since the entire group must pick one set of menus or the other.

 

By contrast the other wine dinners have a limited capacity, are generally just once per cruise, and must be specifically reserved for. If anyone is interested in the other wine dinners they should ask about it soon after boarding.