Apex Specialty Dining

[4Nathan]

After finally achieving Diamond status on Royal, it’s time to cruise with the adults and enjoy hot food! We have booked Apex for March 2024.  I have purchased a 3 night dining package so we can sample the specialty dining and still try each of the 4 MDRs.  Fine cuts, Le Petit Chef and Eden will be our restaurants of choice.  Question. I do not want to miss out on Eden or get a really late reservation.  As package reservations cannot be made online, should I simply purchase a reservation for Eden online then cancel it onboard? Should I do this for all 3 restaurants? I don’t really want that much OBC!  What is the ideal time for a reservation for Eden so we can dine before any shows start?  Thanks so much!

[JLS07]

I would book Eden directly as it will fill up.

 

I might even just do 2 nights at Eden instead of the 3 night package (since you can't use the package for Eden due to lack of reservations on the ship).

[Lastdance]

I had tons much OBC, so booked at regular price before prices went up; I wanted a certain time and day!

[JLS07]

1 hour ago, 4Nathan said:

After finally achieving Diamond status on Royal, it’s time to cruise with the adults and enjoy hot food! We have booked Apex for March 2024.  I have purchased a 3 night dining package so we can sample the specialty dining and still try each of the 4 MDRs.  Fine cuts, Le Petit Chef and Eden will be our restaurants of choice.  Question. I do not want to miss out on Eden or get a really late reservation.  As package reservations cannot be made online, should I simply purchase a reservation for Eden online then cancel it onboard? Should I do this for all 3 restaurants? I don’t really want that much OBC!  What is the ideal time for a reservation for Eden so we can dine before any shows start?  Thanks so much!

One thing I would add:

 

The four MDR differ in ambiance only.  You can order any item from any MDR.  Get the Normandie Tenderloin in Tuscan for example.

 

One you aren't putting on your list is Sushi on 5.  I think this is the second best restaurant (after Eden) on Apex (if you like sushi).  We love to hit this for lunch on port days when we come back to the ship early.

[PTC DAWG]

Just now, JLS07 said:

One thing I would add:

 

The four MDR differ in ambiance only.  You can order any item from any MDR.  Get the Normandie Tenderloin in Tuscan for example.

 

One you aren't putting on your list is Sushi on 5.  I think this is the second best restaurant (after Eden) on Apex (if you like sushi).  We love to hit this for lunch on port days when we come back to the ship early.

I'll add they have much more than raw fish...which is what I consider sushi...they have many cooked things too...

[jelayne]

48 minutes ago, JLS07 said:

One thing I would add:

 

The four MDR differ in ambiance only.  You can order any item from any MDR.  Get the Normandie Tenderloin in Tuscan for example.

 

One you aren't putting on your list is Sushi on 5.  I think this is the second best restaurant (after Eden) on Apex (if you like sushi).  We love to hit this for lunch on port days when we come back to the ship early.

On E class shipsit is Raw on 5. 
Sushi in 5 is different and is on the S class ship

[4Nathan]

2 hours ago, JLS07 said:

I would book Eden directly as it will fill up.

 

I might even just do 2 nights at Eden instead of the 3 night package (since you can't use the package for Eden due to lack of reservations on the ship).

 

Thanks for the info!  Is it usually possible to get onboard reservations for 2 for the other restaurants or do they fill up fast as well. I don’t want to miss Le petit Chef either!

[jelayne]

Le Petit Chef only has 2 seatings per night and both times have had availability on all our E class sailings.

[JLS07]

15 minutes ago, 4Nathan said:

Thanks for the info!  Is it usually possible to get onboard reservations for 2 for the other restaurants or do they fill up fast as well. I don’t want to miss Le petit Chef either!

I doubt you will have a problem other than Eden.  and in fact I have always seen the servers working the buffet line the first day or two trying to get bookings and giving discounts.  Those discounts could be more than the discount for 3 nights dinning.

 

If I recall - and this is last I checked probably in 2019 - they were offering $10-$20 off per person depending on which night and which restaurant at the start of the cruise. I don't know what happens on RC but on Celebrity the servers of the speciality restaurants walk around at the buffet trying to find customers and offering deals to dine at their restaurant.  The discount you currently have with the 3 night deal ($10 off at Le Petit and $15 off at Fine Cut) is probably pretty similar to what you can get onboard.

[4Nathan]

Thank you for all the info. I reserved dinner at Eden and will make the other reservations on boarding.  Just 367 days to go - lots of time to watch more YouTube videos and dream about Celebrity’s delicious food! One more quick newbie question - does Celebrity ever have cruise planner sales on dining packages? More than the current 7% off ($210 CAD)?

[JLS07]

6 minutes ago, 4Nathan said:

Thank you for all the info. I reserved dinner at Eden and will make the other reservations on boarding.  Just 367 days to go - lots of time to watch more YouTube videos and dream about Celebrity’s delicious food! One more quick newbie question - does Celebrity ever have cruise planner sales on dining packages? More than the current 7% off ($210 CAD)?

You can always cancel and rebook through celebrity If there is a discount.  We do that with excursions sometimes.  Wait for a small sale and then just check from time to time.  Especially around major holidays they sometimes have.a sale across the board.

 

Eden must haves: Crab cake, Lobster casserole and filet.  Outstanding items.

[4Nathan]

2 minutes ago, JLS07 said:

You can always cancel and rebook through celebrity If there is a discount.  We do that with excursions sometimes.  Wait for a small sale and then just check from time to time.  Especially around major holidays they sometimes have.a sale across the board.

 

Eden must haves: Crab cake, Lobster casserole and filet.  Outstanding items.

Unfortunately I have a shellfish allergy but am hopeful that won’t diminish my Eden experience. I did look at the menu - I won’t go hungry and their presentation looks amazing!

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, JLS07 said:

I doubt you will have a problem other than Eden.  and in fact I have always seen the servers working the buffet line the first day or two trying to get bookings and giving discounts.  Those discounts could be more than the discount for 3 nights dinning.

 

If I recall - and this is last I checked probably in 2019 - they were offering $10-$20 off per person depending on which night and which restaurant at the start of the cruise. I don't know what happens on RC but on Celebrity the servers of the speciality restaurants walk around at the buffet trying to find customers and offering deals to dine at their restaurant.  The discount you currently have with the 3 night deal ($10 off at Le Petit and $15 off at Fine Cut) is probably pretty similar to what you can get onboard.

We have been on 6 sailings and discounts on the specialty restaurants has been almost nonexistent.  On the all 3 E class ships the best discount offered on board was $5 only on Roof Top Grill and LPC.  No discounts on Eden, Fine Cut or LeVoyage.

[garyl62]

Jump over and look through the Live From thread I just finished from last week.  We ate several meals in specialty dining and I commented on several of them and posted a few photos.  IMO I think the experience of Eden is not to be missed, but I would rate the food and the menu in Fine Cut as the best on Apex. 

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by garyl62

[JLS07]

46 minutes ago, jelayne said:

We have been on 6 sailings and discounts on the specialty restaurants has been almost nonexistent.  On the all 3 E class ships the best discount offered on board was $5 only on Roof Top Grill and LPC.  No discounts on Eden, Fine Cut or LeVoyage.

I wouldn’t expect le voyage or eden. 
 

little surprised no fine cut or le petit.