Speciality Restaurant Reservations

[LIMPIT]

I noticed that you can make reservations at the Speciality Restaurants in Cruise Planner when individually booking Restaurants (thus paying full cost), but no option to do so if you purchase one of the discounted Restaurant Packages.

I called Celebrity to enquire and was given the explanation that guests paying the full rate are offered the prime time reservations in advance, but this option is not available to Package purchases.

I am hoping that upon boarding and heading directly to the Restaurant Reservations Desk we can secure our bookings as required.

Do other CC Members think this is a fair Policy or not ?

[Bo1953]

I, personally, believe it is a fair policy for those who book at full price... they should have the pick of the best.

 

While those of us who want discounts, get the next best...

 

This is not to say that you may be able to get the times you want/desire upon boarding.

 

bon appetite and bon voyage

[jelayne]

I agree with Bo1953 it fair.

[oskarNZ]

I think it is fair up until the point when you board the ship and then I think it is no longer fair - mostly due to a lack of transparency.  

 

I knew booking the package that I wouldn’t be able to preselect times and that one of my nights would probably need to be the first one. The Celebrity website simply doesn’t allow you to prebook times using a package and if this doesn’t work for you, you are free to cancel.  If you pay full price, I agree you should get advance selection of prime times.

 

But once on board the ship, I then think all available slots should open up (especially since on our cruise, the restaurants always seemed to be half empty).  This may be the case on some of the ships, but based on our experience and what I have read here on CC, expect them to only give you a choice of times between either 5:30 or 8:30 onwards.  (Basically they will hold back the desirable slots for the whole cruise to encourage further bookings onboard).  I’ve also read posts here on CC, where people have only been offered late slots and no early ones.    

We took all 5:30’s (or in Qsine’s case, 5:45) and were fine with that as we like to eat early.  But if we were people who only wanted to eat about 6:30/7 as many people are, I would be annoyed that these conditions had not been laid out to me clearer at the time of booking.  

Edited January 22, 2019 by oskarNZ

[Jeremiah1212]

I don't think it's particularly unfair, but our experience has been a little annoying. Every time we've been nearly first to board and then try to make reservations, they always act like it's a chore to secure any reservation at all, especially if you want a specific timeframe. Then once you get to the restaurant at your reservation time,  half the tables are empty for the rest of the night. 

[jkgourmet]

I agree that those who pay more should have first preference, UNTIL we all get on the ship.  Then it should be first come, first serve.  But I agree that they seem to hold back on the prime reservation times, and the restaurants are rarely full.  But if it bothers you so much, there is a solution:  Don't pay for the specialty restaurants.  We've done several cruises without a single visit to them.   We didn't feel like we missed ANYTHING.

[yorky]

1 hour ago, jkgourmet said:

I agree that those who pay more should have first preference, UNTIL we all get on the ship.  Then it should be first come, first serve.  But I agree that they seem to hold back on the prime reservation times, and the restaurants are rarely full.  But if it bothers you so much, there is a solution:  Don't pay for the specialty restaurants.  We've done several cruises without a single visit to them.   We didn't feel like we missed ANYTHING.

How do you know if you have never eaten in one ?

[arsenalboy]

I put a different spin on it.

 

Somebody who pays full price should get preference on seating times compared to somebody who purchases a single "booking" at a reduced price.

 

But if you are buying a package you are being rewarded for multiple bookings with preferential rates. This does not make your booking inferior to somebody who has only purchased one reservation.

[akowilm]

Have always booked a package, have never had an issue getting what time I wanted.  Fair?  Who knows??

 I thought I was getting a small discount for booking multiple seatings (producing revenue), but either way, we have never been told 'NO'....

[LIMPIT]

Maybe Celebrity when advertising the Restaurant Packages should highlight that only “off peak” reservation times are applicable, I never imagined or was pre-warned that we would be treated any less favourable than guests purchasing individual bookings when purchasing the four restaurant package, discounted or not ! 

[Cruise a holic]

I believe not a fair policy.  If you spend money why be treated as a second hand guest.  

 

Not a good way to sell a package or encourge purchasing dinners in specialty restaurants

[dazey]

We have had the dining packages many times and knew how it worked.  Therefore, we are flexible and has been fine for us.  Of course, how it works on the Edge is an unknown.  We shall see.