Beware of the Restaurant Discount emails

[tuscany2002]

We just returned from the December 28 sailing of the Silhouette to the Western Caribbean. Several months earlier we received an email telling us that we would receive a 20% discount if we booked a specialty restaurant on the first night. We booked and prepaid for the Tuscan Grill for ourselves and 2 friends at $35 each.

At the end of our meal, the host would not honor the 20% discount and told us that the price was $45 each with a 30% discount. We could do nothing and he would honor the $35 or he would give us a credit for the $35 x 4 and charge us $45 each with a 30% discount.

Do the math. $35 x 4 = 140 less 20% = $112. $45 x 4 = 180 less 30% = $126.

 

Doesn't seem like very much, does it? How many other passengers were treated to this bait and switch?

[dkjretired]

We just returned from the December 28 sailing of the Silhouette to the Western Caribbean. Several months earlier we received an email telling us that we would receive a 20% discount if we booked a specialty restaurant on the first night. We booked and prepaid for the Tuscan Grill for ourselves and 2 friends at $35 each.

At the end of our meal, the host would not honor the 20% discount and told us that the price was $45 each with a 30% discount. We could do nothing and he would honor the $35 or he would give us a credit for the $35 x 4 and charge us $45 each with a 30% discount.

Do the math. $35 x 4 = 140 less 20% = $112. $45 x 4 = 180 less 30% = $126.

 

Doesn't seem like very much, does it? How many other passengers were treated to this bait and switch?

 

I would certainly complain to Celebrity since the web site shows that Tuscan is $35.00 per person not $45. Price should be the same whether you booked on line or on board.

[ghstudio]

You have a (unexplained) choice. You can either get 30% off the regular on-board $45 price...or you can get the $10 discount offered if you purchase a dinner prior to the cruise. Not sure where the 30% came from...but the discount offered on board is for the price on board....not your prepaid price.

 

What do you suggest they do for those who have purchased a discounted three specialty restaurant package...discount some part of it 20% more????

Edited January 5, 2015 by ghstudio

[vulcan1971]

I am slightly confused all around about the information provided by the OP.

 

First... if you "pre-paid" for a dinner before getting on the ship, why are you receiving a bill from your waiter? Maybe a "zero" bill so that you can add additional gratuity.

 

Second... why would you think you are entitled to receive extra discounting on top of what you already paid? Buying in advance is a $10 discount from prices on the ship.

 

The second part is what I'm confused about so maybe I have just misunderstood what the OP is asking.

 

However, with all that said... I recently returned from 16 days on Constellation where I had pre-purchased a 5-night specialty dinner package for two people. By purchasing a dining package, you get a discount of 37-39% off the regular price of 5 dinners (normally around $200 for 5 dinners, but package price is $119 or $129). The prices on board were $45/person at Tuscan Grill and $50/person at Ocean Liners (think Murano on S-Class ships). The Celebrity website does say $35/person for Tuscan Grill, but I think this is the pre-cruise price (meaning you get a discount by purchasing in advance of the cruise). A similar thing was done with beverage packages in the past (where buying the bevvy package was cheaper pre-cruise than on buying on the ship).

 

I have not seen anything "official" from Celebrity confirming this difference in lower "pre-cruise" pricing and higher "on board the ship" pricing. Other cruisers are probably wondering the same thing as they come back from their trips and start to chat about it here on Cruise Critic.

Edited January 5, 2015 by vulcan1971

[vulcan1971]

I have included a link to another thread where this same topic was briefly being discussed, and where I had provided other comments related to specialty dining and prices in reference to comments by other people posting comments and questions.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2139718

[themutis]

I remember a couple of weeks ago that I did see the 20% discount on the website when I was looking at my reservation. I believe it was if you booked multiple restaurants, but I'm not sure.

 

So are you saying you did not receive the 20% when you booked it on the website? I'm assuming you paid for the reservation at the time you booked it. Was it less 20%? I'm confused as to why the staff member said you had to pay anything if you already paid.

 

Can you clarify?

[Driveshaft]

I think they offer a 5-course wine pairing dinner along with the regular dinner. If you opted for that it is around $89. pp. Did you get that dinner?

[tuscany2002]

To clarify my previous post:

#1 I received an email stating that I would get a 20% discount if I booked a specialty restaurant on the first night. It said nothing about having to book it on board.

#2 I prepaid and booked the restaurant and was charged $35 per person. I did not get the discount when I booked.

#3 I called Celebrity and asked why I did not receive the discount. They said I would get a credit once on board.

#4 After dinner, we asked the host for the on board credit.

#5 He said NO and offered us the $45 rate with a 30% discount.

[villauk]

I remember a couple of weeks ago that I did see the 20% discount on the website when I was looking at my reservation. I believe it was if you booked multiple restaurants, but I'm not sure.

 

So are you saying you did not receive the 20% when you booked it on the website? I'm assuming you paid for the reservation at the time you booked it. Was it less 20%? I'm confused as to why the staff member said you had to pay anything if you already paid.

 

Can you clarify?

 

Reading the OP's original post, it would suggest they prepaid $35 each expecting to receive a 20% discount once they had taken the meal on the first night. I'm unsure if this is the way X handle the speciality restaurant bookings online as we only book once onboard :confused:? Is it the norm in case someone books obtaining the discount and then tries to move the booking from the 1st night, after confirmation, to another evening during the cruise - would X's IT system be able to stop such a change? Obviously the OP thought they'd get the discount after the meal.

 

It would suggest this is what happened because they did state that the manager offered to refund them $35 x 4 and recalculate to his discounted pricing on $45 pp. Basically, stay at the prepaid amount ($35pp) or pay $14 more.

 

Several months earlier we received an email telling us that we would receive a 20% discount if we booked We booked and prepaid for the Tuscan Grill for ourselves and 2 friends at $35 each.

At the end of our meal, the host would not honor the 20% discount and told us that the price was $45 each with a 30% discount. We could do nothing and he would honor the $35 or he would give us a credit for the $35 x 4 and charge us $45 each with a 30% discount.

Do the math. $35 x 4 = 140 less 20% = $112. $45 x 4 = 180 less 30% = $126.

 

Doesn't seem like very much, does it? How many other passengers were treated to this bait and switch?

 

Sorry, tuscany2002, my post was going through at the same time as yours. Thanks for clarifying.

Edited January 6, 2015 by villauk

[themutis]

Ah.. another case of the disconnect between the corporation/website and the ships. It seems the OP did not get what was promised in the email.

[fortinweb]

We just returned from the December 28 sailing of the Silhouette to the Western Caribbean. Several months earlier we received an email telling us that we would receive a 20% discount if we booked a specialty restaurant on the first night. We booked and prepaid for the Tuscan Grill for ourselves and 2 friends at $35 each.

At the end of our meal, the host would not honor the 20% discount and told us that the price was $45 each with a 30% discount. We could do nothing and he would honor the $35 or he would give us a credit for the $35 x 4 and charge us $45 each with a 30% discount.

Do the math. $35 x 4 = 140 less 20% = $112. $45 x 4 = 180 less 30% = $126.[/Quote]

 

To clarify my previous post:

#1 I received an email stating that I would get a 20% discount if I booked a specialty restaurant on the first night. It said nothing about having to book it on board.

#2 I prepaid and booked the restaurant and was charged $35 per person. I did not get the discount when I booked.

#3 I called Celebrity and asked why I did not receive the discount. They said I would get a credit once on board.

#4 After dinner, we asked the host for the on board credit.

#5 He said NO and offered us the $45 rate with a 30% discount.

 

I am totally confused. You say you prepaid months in advance and then you seem to say you were asked to pay again after the meal. I can't figure why you were asked to pay again - or did I misunderstand what you are trying to tell us? Specialty restaurants must be paid for in advance when booking them online before the cruise. They are not just a reservation.

 

Tuscan Grille is $45 when booked on board. You paid $35 when you booked online. That is a 20% discount from the on board price. That tells me you got your discount when you booked before the cruise. It is rare that you can apply yet another discount to an already discounted price. Not sure why you expected to get two separate 20% discounts applied to this meal.

 

If the host offered you a 30% discount after the meal, he was doing you a favor by refunding you $14 ($35 x 4 = $140 [already includes the 20% discount off of the regular $45 fee] vs $45 x 4 = $180 less 30% = $126)

Edited January 6, 2015 by fortinweb

[sr4mjc]

Isn't the $35 already the discounted price? And why did they give you a bill? Sorry, I'm still confused.

[vulcan1971]

Whenever you have a prepaid specialty dining venue you are always given a zero-sum bill to allow for an additional gratuity to be added to your stateroom account. I suspect that the 0P did not fully understand the offer provided in the email regarding the purchase of a specialty dining restaurant on the first night of the cruise. As commented on by other posters, the value of $35 is a 20% discount from the $45 onboard price.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus on the T-Mobile 4G LTE Network using Tapatalk Pro

[Sapphire723]

$45 regular price minus 20% discount = $36.

 

$45 regular price minus $30% discount = $31.50.

 

I would have gone with the on board discount!

Edited January 6, 2015 by Sapphire723

[sr4mjc]

Whenever you have a prepaid specialty dining venue you are always given a zero-sum bill to allow for an additional gratuity to be added to your stateroom account. I suspect that the 0P did not fully understand the offer provided in the email regarding the purchase of a specialty dining restaurant on the first night of the cruise. As commented on by other posters, the value of $35 is a 20% discount from the $45 onboard price.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus on the T-Mobile 4G LTE Network using Tapatalk Pro

 

Yes, I understood getting some kind of bill, but it should have been 0.00, plus and additional drinks they ordered. And I agree, the OP is confused that they should have gotten the 20% on top of the $35 they paid.

 

The real question is, why would the restaurant not honor the $35 they had paid? Or maybe the OP confused them by pressing about the 20% discount, when in actuality the restaurant gave them an even better offer with the 30%:D

Edited January 6, 2015 by sr4mjc

[NLH Arizona]

To clarify my previous post:

#1 I received an email stating that I would get a 20% discount if I booked a specialty restaurant on the first night. It said nothing about having to book it on board.

#2 I prepaid and booked the restaurant and was charged $35 per person. I did not get the discount when I booked.

#3 I called Celebrity and asked why I did not receive the discount. They said I would get a credit once on board.

a#4 After dinner, we asked the host for the on board credit.

#5 He said NO and offered us the $45 rate with a 30% discount.

Why didn't you refuse the 30 percent off $45 offer and take a copy of the proof that you already paid $35 per person and a copy of the email showing that you would get an additional 20 percent discount down to guest services and question what happened? It is always a good thing to bring all paperwork with regard to any offers that are to be paid for onboard and anything that has been pre-paid with you on your cruise, so that you have proof, just in case anything is wrong once you get on the ship. Edited January 6, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[The_Big_M]

Whenever you have a prepaid specialty dining venue you are always given a zero-sum bill to allow for an additional gratuity to be added to your stateroom account. I suspect that the 0P did not fully understand the offer provided in the email regarding the purchase of a specialty dining restaurant on the first night of the cruise. As commented on by other posters, the value of $35 is a 20% discount from the $45 onboard price.

 

Agreed, it sounds like the offer was applied. This is normally the case when you prepay. Sometimes they offer promotions, in which case the web price is discounted at the time you prepay.

 

You don't get a further discount, or credit, later.

[gdpups]

The $35 advance purchase fee for Tuscan Grill is the same amount no matter which night you book in advance, so that has nothing to do with the discount for booking the first night. I have Tuscan Grill booked for the 6th night of my Med cruise and was charged $70 for the two of us.

 

My understanding is you should have received 20% as OBC after you dined at Tuscan Grill and I probably would have taken it up with Guest Services instead of the restaurant. I would definitely call Celebrity Resolution Dept and tell them what happened.

[SantaFeFan]

It sure would be nice to see that email. Being able to read what it actually said would help us determine if the OP is right and could use our support or is mistaken and could use our helpful explanations. As it stands now, it is unfortunately a "he said - she said" situation.

[gdpups]

I just want to add that I've received the 20% off the first night email several times before and have used it. I purchased the dinner in advance and received the 20% back as OBC after the dinner, so I do know how the deal is supposed to work.

[gdpups]

Looked it up, here is the fine print from the 20% discount flyer:

 

 

 

 

 

* A 20% discount (off of the restaurant cover charge only) will be given to all guests who choose to dine in any of our specialty restaurants, with the exception of Bistro on Five and The Porch, on the first night of the cruise. Discount will be applied onboard for all reservations made both pre-cruise and onboard, and credited to the guest’s SeaPass account. Any guests booked on a reservation prior to December 1, 2011 will still be given the 20% discount on their cover charge for all sail dates after December 1, 2011. The 20% discount does not apply to any beverage purchases in the specialty restaurant. © 2011 Celebrity Cruises

[cruisinforabruising]

Looked it up, here is the fine print from the 20% discount flyer:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* A 20% discount (off of the restaurant cover charge only) will be given to all guests who choose to dine in any of our specialty restaurants, with the exception of Bistro on Five and The Porch, on the first night of the cruise. Discount will be applied onboard for all reservations made both pre-cruise and onboard, and credited to the guest’s SeaPass account. Any guests booked on a reservation prior to December 1, 2011 will still be given the 20% discount on their cover charge for all sail dates after December 1, 2011. The 20% discount does not apply to any beverage purchases in the specialty restaurant. © 2011 Celebrity Cruises

 

 

And... Not really seeing your point here. I don't see any problems with this.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[huskerc]

Seems clear to me that the OP should have gotten a 20% OBC for the pre-cruise booking price. But I agree, probably not something the restaurant would handle--more for guest relations who might need to contact someone in Miami.

[The_Big_M]

Looked it up, here is the fine print from the 20% discount flyer:

 

 

 

 

 

* A 20% discount (off of the restaurant cover charge only) will be given to all guests who choose to dine in any of our specialty restaurants, with the exception of Bistro on Five and The Porch, on the first night of the cruise. Discount will be applied onboard for all reservations made both pre-cruise and onboard, and credited to the guest’s SeaPass account. Any guests booked on a reservation prior to December 1, 2011 will still be given the 20% discount on their cover charge for all sail dates after December 1, 2011. The 20% discount does not apply to any beverage purchases in the specialty restaurant. © 2011 Celebrity Cruises

 

Thanks for those details. Haven't seen that before, but does sound like they messed up with this. As suggested above, Guest services would have been the next port of call to get it resolved.

[terrierjohn]

Seems like a case of head office not passing on the correct information to the shipboard staff, after seeing the printed offer I also would have been expecting extra OBC of 20% of the pre-paid price.