Book 4 night dining package before cruise or negotiate discount on board?

[AidenL]

As per thread title, which is the most sensible option?

 

Book in advance, or book on board?

 

 

Advance purchase seems to be a 45% discount approximately?

[fizzy1]

As per thread title, which is the most sensible option?

 

 

 

Book in advance, or book on board?

 

 

 

 

 

Advance purchase seems to be a 45% discount approximately?

 

 

 

Before you sail

 

 

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[jelayne]

The 4 night package is about 33% off the regular price. Not likely you could get that discount on the ship.

[K12Guy]

The 4 night package is about 33% off the regular price. Not likely you could get that discount on the ship.

From what we've seen any on-board discounts are hit and miss, determined by pre-cruise reservations. If they have enough to cover costs they likely won't offer discounts. However, some of the specialty restaurants will offer steep discounts during the day for an evening that is wide open. Is it worth the risk to maybe save some money? Or maybe not get seated at the restaurant of your choice and have to deal with the buffet or main dining room. Not our choice, but what works best for you is all that matters.

[ghstudio]

If you really want to eat at all the restaurants or you want to eat at a special one at a special time, then book in advance. If you’re willing to try the restaurants if you get a good deal and don’t care that much about time....and you won’t be disappointed if you end the cruise without trying any of the specialty restaurants then wait til you are on board and see what happens. We fall into the second group..if it works out, great...if not we like the mdr and that’s fine. On our last cruise about a month ago, we ate at Qsine for $25 each.

 

It’s really up to what you...take your best shot

 

 

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[Luvcrusn]

If you absolutely want to dine in a specific specialty restaurant on a specific date and at a specific time, book ahead. With the exception of one cruise on Eclipse in early December 2016, we've been able to do as well or better by booking on board. We really only like Murano but are will to eat at Lawn Club on Reflection and Silhouette. We've always gotten a hefty discount the first evening, up to 50% off and like dining there the first night to avoid the chaos of the main dining venues with everyone just getting acclimated to the ship and where their table is located. We don't mind dining late, and are flexible about date and time. Depending on when you're sailing is, if you're flexible you may do better on board. We most always see staff from the specialties outside of the OVC offering discounts daily and on embarkation day there are usually staff around where you enter the ship offering to make bookings. Don't be afraid to make a counter offer. You'll most probably be pleasantly surprised. If you prefer the assurance of knowing when and where you'll be dining, the do it ahead.

[villauk]

If you really want to eat at all the restaurants or you want to eat at a special one at a special time, then book in advance. If you’re willing to try the restaurants if you get a good deal and don’t care that much about time....and you won’t be disappointed if you end the cruise without trying any of the specialty restaurants then wait til you are on board and see what happens. We fall into the second group..if it works out, great...if not we like the mdr and that’s fine. On our last cruise about a month ago, we ate at Qsine for $25 each.

 

It’s really up to what you...take your best shot

 

 

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Agree, we haggle for the discounts onboard and have never been disappointed. I still say Ocean Liners was the best specialty we have ever eaten in.

 

We’ve managed to get BOGOF on previous sailings, but if you want specific days and times and are not flexible, prebook.

[AidenL]

We are in Aqua, so will have Blu, but I’ve read such god things about Murano and the Lawn Club Grill, we fancy trying them, and also want to try Tuscan, as the reports on here are so wide varying, some love, some hate.

 

So if we waited til on board, who do we haggle with, and is it something to do daily?

 

We do prefer eating earlier, around 6.30pm, so those times might be hard to obtain if booking on board I’d guess?

[hubofhockey]

We are in Aqua, so will have Blu, but I’ve read such god things about Murano and the Lawn Club Grill, we fancy trying them, and also want to try Tuscan, as the reports on here are so wide varying, some love, some hate.

 

So if we waited til on board, who do we haggle with, and is it something to do daily?

 

We do prefer eating earlier, around 6.30pm, so those times might be hard to obtain if booking on board I’d guess?

 

If you are Aqua Class, they will give you an additional 10% off the first night at a specialty restaurant beyond the sea others get. At least, that was the case on our last cruise at Qsine.

 

We booked the four night deal for our seven night cruise ahead of time. As soon as we get on the ship, we'll get our preferred dining nights and times. As others have said, you might get a first night deal on a specialty restaurant, but it's not as easy on other nights. The four nights at $125 works out to be $31.25 per dinner. If I hear of anyone getting a similar package once on board, maybe I'll think twice about taking that package again.

[villauk]

As others have said, you might get a first night deal on a specialty restaurant, but it's not as easy on other nights.

 

Have you missed the offering of deals at specialty restaurants in the OV most days? I can’t remember not seeing the waiters going around tables offering discounts, there’s always a table outside too where you can reserve.

 

On port days, there is often a few waiters standing just after the security machines waiting to approach guests with deals for the specialty restaurants. We have never paid full price when booking onboard. As others have stated, flexibility is the name of the game if you want the discounts ;).

[dutchclogs]

It all depends on how bookings are going. We have on occasion been approached by our waiter in the MDR.

 

I have also been told that being willing to dine very early or very late may increase the chance of a discount, as is dining on an overnight or a long port day.

[luvtravel88]

We have never gotten better than 20% off when we've asked for a discount. We book ahead for a better deal.

Kim

[jkgourmet]

On our November eclipse cruise, the ONLY discounts offered were first night, and q-sine. The latter was offered every day, and was nearly empty whenever we walked by.

 

The sailing was either nearly sold out or totally sold out.

 

This is the second of three celebrity cruises where discounts were few and far between. The exception was a repositioning cruise which was far from sold out. (We and our traveling companions were upgraded from inside to balconies on that one. And, no, we are FAR from Elite.)

[dgparent]

When I get on board I don't want any more hassles including shopping around for dinner bargains, it is my vacation, I don't want to start if off by worrying about saving $30 over a 4 night dinner package, so I book and pay for everything in advance. To each their own though, I know some people enjoy that type of thing.

[ghstudio]

When I get on board I don't want any more hassles including shopping around for dinner bargains, it is my vacation, I don't want to start if off by worrying about saving $30 over a 4 night dinner package, so I book and pay for everything in advance. To each their own though, I know some people enjoy that type of thing.

 

I view it as a more fun daily activity than the LeVian diamond unveiling or similar events :)

[AidenL]

I guess though, in summary, it’s still cheaper to book a package before sailing?

 

On board negotiation only makes sense for one or two nights?

 

 

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[dgparent]

I view it as a more fun daily activity than the LeVian diamond unveiling or similar events :)

 

Your joking right ? The LeVian diamond unveiling is usually the highlight of the cruise !!

 

 

[what's a Levian Diamond unveiling?]

[ghstudio]

Your joking right ? The LeVian diamond unveiling is usually the highlight of the cruise !!

 

 

[what's a Levian Diamond unveiling?]

 

Oh...you're new to celebrity:)

 

Le Vian is the company that has created a market for what used to be low value, brown diamonds....they offer what are now known as chocolate diamonds and marketed widely by Le Vian. (I guess if there's demand, there's value). The celebrity gift shops have been carrying them for years? now...and on every cruise you will find events such as the grand le Vian chocolate diamond opening as well as the "faberge" unveiling; and similar on the daily event schedule....replacing what many of us used to remember as cruise events.....lost when celebrity significantly cut their event staff (save $'s).

[ECCruise]

It depends on your comfort level.

 

Have dined in =X= specialty restaurants literally dozens of times. All 4 of the Ocean Liners, Murano many times, Q sine several times. Only did the ones we see little need for (Tuscan and Lawn Grill) once.

 

Never had less than 40% off. Vast majority 2 for 1. We aren't going to live or die over a specialty restaurant on a mass market cruise ship, so if they say "sorry, no can do tonite," then we go a different night. Or not at all, although we've never been locked out of an entire cruse. Ask and be friendly and likely will be successful

 

 

But if you feel more comfortable booking in advance, then by all means do so. It's kind of like ship excursions vs. private ones. For some it is just more comfortable knowing in advance.

[Luvcrusn]

Although we enjoy Murano and used to also love the Ocean Liners on the M-class prior to their removal, if we don't get the discounts on board that we want we're content to skip them. We don't go seeking the discounts, but in the course of travelling around the ship, if we're approached and have interest we make a counter offer. If they say yes, we book. If they say no and we really want to dine in a specialty we may still book. Generally, on a two week cruise we'll only dine in specialty once or twice. At this point, we've tried most of the dishes we like in the specialty restaurants, and since the menus there rarely change, it won't make or break our vacation whether we go or not. If someone is set on dining and stresses over the possible cost and availability, then book ahead. If they are like us and don't care all that much, wait.

[villauk]

When I get on board I don't want any more hassles including shopping around for dinner bargains, it is my vacation, I don't want to start if off by worrying about saving $30 over a 4 night dinner package, so I book and pay for everything in advance. To each their own though, I know some people enjoy that type of thing.

 

You don’t have to shop around. Don’t tell me you have never been approached by the staff offering a discount trying to fill the specialty restaurants onboard (obviously I am presuming you have taken X cruises ;))?

[K12Guy]

Oh...you're new to celebrity:)

 

Le Vian is the company that has created a market for what used to be low value, brown diamonds....they offer what are now known as chocolate diamonds and marketed widely by Le Vian. (I guess if there's demand, there's value). The celebrity gift shops have been carrying them for years? now...and on every cruise you will find events such as the grand le Vian chocolate diamond opening as well as the "faberge" unveiling; and similar on the daily event schedule....replacing what many of us used to remember as cruise events.....lost when celebrity significantly cut their event staff (save $'s).

I've been known to stay awake for nights in a row, just waiting for the Le Vian Diamond events. Or not. :halo: