Speciality Restuarants day per cruise

My recollection on this topic is a bit off and I would like to be correct. We are on upcoming 18 day cruise end of Feb 2018..how many days of specialty restaurants do we actually get. Is it just 2 + 2 ( ie 2 per week - one of each - we are on the Voyager). Or do they throw in an extra 2 on for the extra 4 days? Hope that makes sense.

TIA

Passengers can book two reservations per cruise (or per segment on longer cruises). The longer the cruise, the better your chances are of getting additional reservations but this needs to be done once you are on the ship. On our upcoming 25 night cruise, while we only could make two dining reservations, we are confident that we could dine in the specialty restaurants another time or two but likely won't want to since CR is so good.

Where do you go to ask for extra reservations? Is it as soon as you board or on the morning of the day you want.

Where do you go to ask for extra reservations? Is it as soon as you board or on the morning of the day you want.

On the Explorer (and I understand now on the other ships?) there was a dedicated restaurants reservation office open during the day. Earlier is better (like the afternoon you board). As I recall, they'd only accept one additional reservation per restaurant until after the date of pending reservations. The big key for getting additional times is to be willing to share a table. We ended up in Pacific Rim 6 (obviously our favorite) times on 24 day cruise without any difficulty by sharing tables and/or being flexible on times. On several occasions we did this on the same day. In the past, we've also had success just dropping by the desired restaurant and asking the maître d' to let us know if they had a no show. If there were none, we'd head to Compass Rose.

Our strategy is to use the advance reservations to secure really important dates for us (birthdays, anniversary) when we might want a table for 2.

Interesting observation! Agree that the key to getting additional reservations is your willingness to share a table but the number of available tables in the specialty restaurants is also dependent upon the length of the cruise. IMO, it is much more difficult to get additional reservations on shorter itineraries (which I suppose is obvious since everyone is guaranteed one reservation in each specialty restaurant and there are less days to accommodate people that want second or third reservations.

Sometimes you can obtain an extra reservation by simply stopping by the restaurant at night and asking if there is availability. We have stopped by the restaurant to cancel a reservation and the people behind us in line -- hoping to get a reservation -- got ours immediately!

On our upcoming 25 night cruise, while we only could make two dining reservations, we are confident that we could dine in the specialty restaurants another time or two but likely won't want to since CR is so good.

With all due respect, we quote from the brochure description of your Master Suite that, rather than "another time or two", you will have a "guaranteed reservation each night in the specialty restaurant of your choice".

Travelcat2, Thank you for detailing how the Specialty Restaurant program works and how to get additional reservations. It is this kind of information on CruiseCritic that helps cruisers new to Regent get the most out of their vacation.

With all due respect, we quote from the brochure description of your Master Suite that, rather than "another time or two", you will have a "guaranteed reservation each night in the specialty restaurant of your choice".

I didn't think that the TS was inquiring about a Master Suite. Yes, Master and Grand Suites as well as the Regent Suite on Explorer have guaranteed reservations. My explanation was for the rest of the suites.

Having had the opportunity to have guaranteed reservations on Explorer, we felt that the benefit was quite over rated. We preferred dining in CR. For us, two reservations in each specialty is more than enough on a 3 week cruise (especially on Explorer where you can have lunch in a specialty restaurant every day regardless of what suite you are in.)

Ken, glad that my explanation was helpful.

Where do you go to ask for extra reservations? Is it as soon as you board or on the morning of the day you want.

On the Voyager last month they had a desk in the same area as Destination Services and Reception.

Thank you all, for your helpful replies:)

Just to add our voice to the chorus, we do not agree that the benefit of guaranteed reservations in the specialty restaurants is overrated. In fact, it is a major determinant for us when choosing our level of accommodation for upcoming cruises. For us, while we enjoy Compass Rose we much prefer the ambiance of the specialty restaurants. That is a perk that is worth the additional cost to us, and we hope that offering doesn't change.

Just to add our voice to the chorus, we do not agree that the benefit of guaranteed reservations in the specialty restaurants is overrated. In fact, it is a major determinant for us when choosing our level of accommodation for upcoming cruises. For us, while we enjoy Compass Rose we much prefer the ambiance of the specialty restaurants. That is a perk that is worth the additional cost to us, and we hope that offering doesn't change.

My biggest issue with this benefit is that it reeks of favoritism and takes away from "everyone being treated the same outside of their suite". It could also prevent some guests from getting a second reservation in a speciality restaurant. Sometimes it seems that Regent is taking baby steps towards being a class oriented cruise line like the other cruise lines owned by NCHL.

My biggest issue with this benefit is that it reeks of favoritism and takes away from "everyone being treated the same outside of their suite". It could also prevent some guests from getting a second reservation in a speciality restaurant. Sometimes it seems that Regent is taking baby steps towards being a class oriented cruise line like the other cruise lines owned by NCHL.

Travelcat2, Very well stated! A concept that I thought represented the Luxury lines was once you left your suite that everybody is treated the same. If I buy the cheapest house in a nice neighborhood, I would still expect to be treated the same as the owners of the most expensive house in the common facilities available. When you look at the cruise experience pages on their web sites they constantly give the impression that even the smallest cabins get treated the same by staff during dining or simply enjoying your cruise.

I understand that Cunard QE2 etc has definite differences in treatment between the class of cabin that you book outside of your cabin. Almost similar to First Class versus steerage. NCL and their Haven comes to mind also in this regard.

I understand perks should be allocated to those with longevity or higher priced suites. But these perks should not be so obvious that it causes those without them not to be able to enjoy a luxury experience as a result.

Travelcat2, I am very encouraged by your concern for your fellow travelers and your efforts to ensure that everyone regardless of suite size is able to have a pleasurable experience aboard! Your posts have been extremely valuable to those of us on the fence trying to decide if a Regent cruise is the way to go.

When you look at the cruise experience pages on their web sites they constantly give the impression that even the smallest cabins get treated the same by staff during dining or simply enjoying your cruise.

A butler can help "simply enjoying your cruise" outside of your suite as well as in it. How do you explain equal treatment if the larger cabins have butlers and the smaller cabins do not?

I'm not Ken (who has yet to sail on Regent - hopefully he will book soon), but as a long time Regent customer that almost always has a butler, I can say that it is rare indeed if a butler is assisting you outside of your suite. Their duties are within the suite. For some occasions you'll see a butler escort their guests to dinner (especially the butler for the Regent suite on Explorer) but that is about the extent of being "outside of the suite".

My concern is priority boarding, special areas of the ship where not all passengers are permitted and having a policy such as the "guaranteed reservations every night" which, while not visible to other passengers, could certainly have an effect on their ability to get dining reservations.

I have always felt that the staff are just as friendly and polite no matter what cabin we are staying in. I also have no problem with the fact that whether it is excursions or dinners,when you pay more you get more and that actually includes first shot at those reservations. We all choose how we want to spend our money.

I have always felt that the staff are just as friendly and polite no matter what cabin we are staying in. I also have no problem with the fact that whether it is excursions or dinners,when you pay more you get more and that actually includes first shot at those reservations. We all choose how we want to spend our money.

You really don't have to pay much more to receive "first shot at those reservations" (whether you are staying in a concierge suite or have Seven Seas Society loyalty benefits.). In the case of Seven Seas Society loyalty benefits, it doesn't cost you anything extra - you can stay in the lowest suite available and get "first shot at those reservations".

IMO, having first shot at reservations can be very important - depending upon whether or not you want a reservation in a dining venue for your special anniversary/birthday and/or if you really want to have a particular excursion. Based on reading CC, people that have to wait to make reservations tend to worry about whether or not they will receive what they hope to receive.

So, to answer my own question..we finished doing the alternate dining selections a few days ago. We are on the 18 day Singapore to Sydney coming up the end of January and we got only 2 - one for each alternate restaurant. We did NOT get 2 for each 7 day leg. I am not sure if this is a change in Regent policy or not...that is for another discussion, but that is what we were able to select. We will try to get other when we get on board. I am sorry it took so long to update..I was otherwise occupied

Thanks to all that replied.....

So, to answer my own question..we finished doing the alternate dining selections a few days ago. We are on the 18 day Singapore to Sydney coming up the end of January and we got only 2 - one for each alternate restaurant. We did NOT get 2 for each 7 day leg. I am not sure if this is a change in Regent policy or not...that is for another discussion, but that is what we were able to select. We will try to get other when we get on board. I am sorry it took so long to update..I was otherwise occupied

Thanks to all that replied.....

Not a change. Two reservations per restaurant are guaranteed. After that, reservations are based on availability.

drcandon, hope you have good luck in securing more specialty restaurant ressies once you board. Love your Singapore to Sydney itinerary; earlier this year on the Voyager we enjoyed the Komodo Dragons, the Great Barrier Reef (in Cairns), but became despondent during our Brisbane excursion (the Atlanta Falcons blew a 28-3 lead and lost (Super Bowl) to the Patriots).

Once on board as others have suggested above-- using the restaurant reservation desk (in vicinity of destination services on deck 5, Voyager) may be helpful.--willingness to share a table for dinner--as well as checking with the P7 or Chartreuse Maitred'd during the evening.

We also suggest getting to know the Restaurant Manager once u board. He/she has knowledgeble (via phone almost immediately) to available tables space (e.g., two or four top in MDR, P7 or Chartreuse). This technique enables you to check dining venue space during the evening with one senior staff member vs checking with each venue's Maitre'D.

During our Voyager cruise in Jan-March of this year, we were able to eat multiple times in the Voyager specialty restaurants and often snag a two top (ocean view) in MDR by checking in with the Restaurant Mgr during the evening. Believe, it helped that we like to dine after 8pm.

drcandon, hope you have good luck in securing more specialty restaurant ressies once you board. Love your Singapore to Sydney itinerary; earlier this year on the Voyager we enjoyed the Komodo Dragons, the Great Barrier Reef (in Cairns), but became despondent during our Brisbane excursion (the Atlanta Falcons blew a 28-3 lead and lost (Super Bowl) to the Patriots).

 

Once on board as others have suggested above-- using the restaurant reservation desk (in vicinity of destination services on deck 5, Voyager) may be helpful.--willingness to share a table for dinner--as well as checking with the P7 or Chartreuse Maitred'd during the evening.

 

We also suggest getting to know the Restaurant Manager once u board. He/she has knowledgeble (via phone almost immediately) to available tables space (e.g., two or four top in MDR, P7 or Chartreuse). This technique enables you to check dining venue space during the evening with one senior staff member vs checking with each venue's Maitre'D.

 

During our Voyager cruise in Jan-March of this year, we were able to eat multiple times in the Voyager specialty restaurants and often snag a two top (ocean view) in MDR by checking in with the Restaurant Mgr during the evening. Believe, it helped that we like to dine after 8pm.

Agree with much of what you said but the last paragraph is puzzling. Compass Rose (the MDR) does not take reservations nor are tables suppose to be saved (according to Regent Corporate's recent post). So, I assume that you mean that you were able to get a table for two by the window because you dine late rather than someone saving a table for you. Is this correct or is someone on the Voyager going against the rules?

In my opinion, this is a sensitive topic ..... one that needs clarification.

Thanks much.