Specialty Restaurant Booking

We are doing our first b2b cruise next month and wanted to check if we could book for the specialty restaurants during the first cruise for the second cruise? Probably not, but just wanted to check!

Really don’t know the answer to that. I would have thought not, but don’t know for certain. I’m sure others will know though.

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We just finished a b2b and no you can not book until the morning of the next cruise but you do not have to get off the ship and since very few were on board we got all our reservation times. We were in a CC suite so we mostly ate at the specialty restaurants and our favorite was Aqualina.

Funny, I have booked 24 hours before for the restaurants and the spa. Once they have the cruise loaded in from I guess deck 4 it can be done.

It never was a problem in the past.

Funny, I have booked 24 hours before for the restaurants and the spa. Once they have the cruise loaded in from I guess deck 4 it can be done.

 

It never was a problem in the past.

Not sure I understand what you meant by once they have the cruise loaded in? We were told that until the first cruise ended and debarkation ended we could not book the specialty restaurants for the next cruise.

Not sure I understand what you meant by once they have the cruise loaded in? We were told that until the first cruise ended and debarkation ended we could not book the specialty restaurants for the next cruise.

That’s the policy and official reply. In practice however, if you’re a regular and know the right people, you can book much earlier. 24-48 hours before change over day.

I don’t like this know someone, be a regular concept. If it is a stated loyalty perk, fine but I’d be infuriated if someone else jumped the line. It certainly wouldn’t make new guests feel welcome.

That’s the policy and official reply. In practice however, if you’re a regular and know the right people, you can book much earlier. 24-48 hours before change over day.

But for some reason when the cruise is loaded in they know White Nights and Az Evening. Many people do not want those two nights. I tend to book spa and dinner in the above time range, the right person is the host. I always pre book the night or two before. Even if I do not know the White Nights I still just pick,at sea days and if we sail by 8 . I tend to eat in port.

I don’t like this know someone, be a regular concept. If it is a stated loyalty perk, fine but I’d be infuriated if someone else jumped the line. It certainly wouldn’t make new guests feel welcome.

I agree...there should be one practice. Either all b2b guests can prebook specialty restaurants prior to the end of the first cruise, or none can.

I apologize if we haven’t been consistent.

P.s. the current guideline is that specialty restaurants cannot be prebooked by b2b guests. But given that sometime in the future we will offer the ability to prebook restaurants and spa services online (as we now do with shorex), I would think this guideline will have to change. This is a Hotel Management decision though, not mine.

Just off a b2b on Journey; we were able to request our reservations several days early for specialties and chef’s tables. They were not entered into the system until the second cruise started.

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I actually think it’s better to not be able to book until onboard, especially since we don’t know when the White Night party is scheduled until then.

I actually think it’s better to not be able to book until onboard, especially since we don’t know when the White Night party is scheduled until then.

I agree, otherwise the ship would probably end up with people pre-booking, then swapping and changing reservations once onboard. That could be tricky for the system & crew to cope with.

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I agree it should wait until on board / cruise has started.

I agree, otherwise the ship would probably end up with people pre-booking, then swapping and changing reservations once onboard. That could be tricky for the system & crew to cope with.

With no charge until you go to the restaurant, the incentive is to make many reservations in advance just in case, as you can always cancel once onboard. Many will be shut out when trying to reserve in advance with all the placeholders. This is not a good idea.

I suspect the same phenomenon will occur with excursions now that you aren't charged at the time of booking. It will regress to the Regent process, where at midnight a specified number of days in advance, everyone tries to get into the system at the same time to beat everyone else to get their preferred specialty or excursion reservations.

With no charge until you go to the restaurant, the incentive is to make many reservations in advance just in case, as you can always cancel once onboard. Many will be shut out when trying to reserve in advance with all the placeholders. This is not a good idea.

 

I suspect the same phenomenon will occur with excursions now that you aren't charged at the time of booking. It will regress to the Regent process, where at midnight a specified number of days in advance, everyone tries to get into the system at the same time to beat everyone else to get their preferred specialty or excursion reservations.

Totally agree...not a good idea ! Leave things as they are !

[quote=marinaro44;57161660

I suspect the same phenomenon will occur with excursions now that you aren't charged at the time of booking .

Did something change?? I booked an excursion 2 weeks ago and had to pay by credit card when I booked.

Did something change?? I booked an excursion 2 weeks ago and had to pay by credit card when I booked.

Yes same here.

Re dining when we are b2b we give them a list the night before of what we would like but I doubt it is processed until the morning so no different to a very early boarder. I suspect others who think they are getting priority actually are having their bookings written somewhere and processed on embarkation day.

I think as far as excursions are concerned you pay when booking, either through any OBC you have or by credit card. We recently booked a tour on a July 2019 cruise and it came off our OBC.

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That's a wonderful new achievement, being able to pay for shore excursions from OBC, prior to boarding. Kudos to whoever figured it out!

We just finished a b2b and no you can not book until the morning of the next cruise but you do not have to get off the ship and since very few were on board we got all our reservation times. We were in a CC suite so we mostly ate at the specialty restaurants and our favorite was Aqualina.

That's our plan too - we have B2B CC suite booked for our next cruise. Were you able to special order some things in advance? Things not on the menu? I know we sometimes did that on Celebrity in Murano. We gave them at least a day's notice, we're easy to please.

That's our plan too - we have B2B CC suite booked for our next cruise. Were you able to special order some things in advance? Things not on the menu? I know we sometimes did that on Celebrity in Murano. We gave them at least a day's notice, we're easy to please.

We did not special order but they are very accommodating. We did ask for a couple of included wines that we liked but were not always offered and they went out of their way to find them especially at dinner and the Living Room Lounge. Also had the Butler exchange liquor in suite for a couple of bottles of wine.

For the sake of the argument I have been given the line "wait until beginning of the second cruise" so that is now what I do and feel it's fairer. I cruise regularly on Azamara. I'll also add that I have rarely had an issue getting my preferred time if I'm prompt about it.

Phil

For the sake of the argument I have been given the line "wait until beginning of the second cruise" so that is now what I do and feel it's fairer. I cruise regularly on Azamara. I'll also add that I have rarely had an issue getting my preferred time if I'm prompt about it.

 

Phil

Our experience also though we have been asked for a list if we have one ready on the change over morning.

The only special arrangements that should be needed are if people have dietary (not fads and preferences) needs.

In all our cruises we have never asked for anything that is not on the published menu, it may not be a popular view but our take is where would it end if many people started wanting off menu items, you start compromising the quality and service for the others. The range of choices on Azamara is very extensive. On our recent river cruise it was a much smaller menu (all good choices) and off menu items were only permitted for dietary reasons which seemed fair to us.

In all our cruises we have never asked for anything that is not on the published menu, it may not be a popular view but our take is where would it end if many people started wanting off menu items, you start compromising the quality and service for the others.

I agree 100%! Well said.

Called Azamara to request a table for our 50th anniversary in Prime C. I would certainly pay ahead for the reservation. I was told no advance reservations. Not sure that I understand why. However, it is what it is. I prereserve on Celebrity and pay at the time the reservation is booked. On Oceania, I get to prereserve a limited number of specialty restaurant reservations before sailing. No extra fee for anyone dining in a specialty venue. There should be a way to reserve one dinner in each specialty venue. Even when you embark, there should be limits on the number of reservations per cabin. That way, it would be easy to accomodate the guests. Allow additional reservations later during the cruise. On Windstar, nobody can prereserve specialty dining. No extra fee. Each cabin can only reserve one seating in each venue. The people who arrive earlier get more choices. On the Windstar Star Legend for a b2b, we ate in Candles twice. On the last night of the cruise, my spouse was celebrating a birthday. We were asked if we would like to dine in Candles that night. We were amazed since Windstar noticed that we were celebrating. It is the little things like that that makes the difference between a good experience and a spectacular event.