Celebrity Cruises Introduces 'Celebrity Select' Flexible Dining Option
01 September 2009 - 5:19AM
PR Newswire (US)
First cruise line to add pre-cruise reservation benefit to a
flexible dining program MIAMI, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
From the first spa at sea to an innovative category of
accommodations bridging the gap between stylish staterooms and
luxury suites; from the first tableside cooking and carving to the
first lawn of real, growing grass at sea, Celebrity Cruises has
long been an industry leader when it comes to putting guests at the
center of attention. Today, Celebrity Cruises introduced Celebrity
Select Dining,(SM) a new flexible dining option that allows guests
to choose when they dine in the main dining room onboard, on a
day-by-day basis, which includes the industry's first pre-cruise
day-by-day flexible dining reservation system. "Celebrity Select
Dining gives our guests the flexibility to spend their days any way
they like," said Jacques Van Staden, Vice President of Culinary
Operations, Celebrity Cruises. "Whether they wish to enjoy more
time in a specific port of call one day and dine later that evening
than another, or whether they wish to keep a traditional set dining
time, they will receive the same amazing service and enjoy the same
menu. It's all about our guests, and it's all about choice." No
other cruise line that offers a flexible dining option also offers
pre-cruise day-by-day reservations. Through this industry-leading
technology, Celebrity's guests can go online to choose their
desired dining time - anytime between 6 and 9:30 pm - for each day
of their cruise, up to four days prior to boarding. Reservations
also can be made onboard with the main dining room's Maitre d'.
Pre-cruise reservations are strongly encouraged in order to ensure
the best possible dining experience. Guests can pre-book their
dining times online at http://www.celebritycruises.com/. All dining
times are subject to availability, and guests who elect Celebrity
Select Dining must pay gratuities. During the booking process,
guests will choose either Celebrity Select Dining or traditional
dining. Guests will be accommodated on a first-come/first-served
basis. Guests who choose to customize their onboard dining times
through Celebrity Select Dining also will have the choice to either
dine with only their own traveling companions or with other guests
on the cruise, and Celebrity will work to accommodate this choice.
Guests sailing on Celebrity's newest ship, the 2,850-guest
Celebrity Equinox, beginning with the September 26, 2009 sailing,
will be the first to experience Celebrity Select Dining. Online
booking for pre-cruise day-by-day dining reservations for this
sailing opened today. Guests who are already booked on Celebrity
Equinox's sailings taking place on or after September 26 can choose
to switch to Celebrity Select Dining. With the exception of
sailings on Celebrity Xpedition, the 92-guest mega-yacht sailing
year-round in the Galapagos Islands, the option to choose Celebrity
Select Dining is available today for all other participating ships
beginning with the sailing dates noted below and continuing through
all cruises currently open for sale. Celebrity Select Dining's
online day-by-day dining reservations will be available for all
participating ships as of October 15, for sailings beginning with
those noted below and continuing for at least two months from those
sailing dates. For sailings not available for booking day-by-day
online reservations as of October 15, guests will be able to place
their day-by-day reservations no less than 30 days prior to their
sail date. -- Celebrity Solstice - January 10, 2010 sailing --
Celebrity Constellation - January 17, 2010 sailing -- Celebrity
Century - January 23, 2010 sailing -- Celebrity Millennium -
February 1, 2010 sailing -- Celebrity Summit - February 13, 2010
sailing -- Celebrity Mercury - February 15, 2010 sailing --
Celebrity Infinity - February 28, 2010 sailing Guests planning to
experience Celebrity Eclipse, the third ship in Celebrity's new
Solstice Class, which will enter service in April 2010, will be
able to elect Celebrity Select Dining on a date that will be
announced later. Guests can visit
http://www.celebritycruises.com/celebrityselectdining to see a more
comprehensive list of sailings for which Celebrity Select Dining's
day-by-day reservations will be available for booking, and what the
booking dates are. Individuals who elect to take advantage of
Celebrity Select Dining before cruising will be required to pay
(before cruising) Celebrity's recommended gratuity amounts for
their waiter, assistant waiter, dining room management and
stateroom attendants. If guests wish to choose to change from
traditional dining to Celebrity Select Dining after they have
boarded, they can do so within the first 24 hours of their cruise,
on a space-available basis. Guests who choose Celebrity Select
Dining while onboard or who are otherwise not eligible to be
charged prior to sailing will automatically have gratuities added
to their onboard portfolio account. Celebrity Select Dining is
subject to availability. Only groups of 20 or less can be seated at
one time. Celebrity ships that offer specialty restaurants in
addition to the main dining room already offer online pre-cruise
reservations that can be made up to four days prior to boarding.
Guests who dine in Celebrity's specialty restaurants are charged a
per-person reservation fee. Celebrity Cruises offers comfortably
sophisticated, upscale vacation experiences with highly
personalized service, exceptional dining, and extraordinary
attention to detail. Celebrity sails in Alaska, California,
Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos Islands, the
Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South America. The line also offers
unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Canada, Europe and South
America. Noted for four of the top 10 "Top Cruise Ships in the
World" in the large-ship category, as voted by the readers of Conde
Nast Traveler (February 2009 readers' poll), Celebrity's fleet -
including the new Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox - will
be joined by Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, a fourth Solstice-class
ship in 2011, and a fifth in 2012. For more information, call your
travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit
http://www.celebritycruises.com/. DATASOURCE: Celebrity Cruises
CONTACT: Media, Elizabeth Jakeway, +1-305-539-6127, , or Tavia
Robb, +1-305-539-6721, Web Site: http://www.celebritycruises.com/
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