How far in advance can you pre-book shows/specialty restaurants?

[CloseCreations]

I just booked Allure of the Seas for August 2012, sailing with DH, DS8, MIL and FIL. We are so excited to sail on this ship! :D I know it is waaaaaay too early to pre-book anything, but just wondered how far in advance they open the window so that you can pre-book the shows and specialty restaurants? We've never pre-booked before, but then we've never sailed on a ship this size with so many options. Most people I've seen posting say it is best to pre-book so that you get the restaurants that you want and can see the shows around mealtimes.

 

Any advice for us?

 

TIA!

Georgia

[fdthird]

You will find that the food options open earlier than the entertainment options so that means you need to have a plan before you dive into the process. What worked for us was laying out the week on paper. Check the entertainment times on a cruise similar to yours (eastern or western Caribbean) on the RC web site. Then lay out what shows you might want to see and when and then figure out your food options. You can only book one performance for each show, so if you make a reservation and then realize you have a conflict, you have to go back and cancel your first reservation and then make a new reservation, so it's a lot easier to know what you are doing before you start.

 

As a yard stick, we are booked on the Nov 13th Allure sailing and I was able to make restaurant/MDR reservations several weeks ago but entertainment bookings have not opened yet for our cruise. They open them in blocks so I think our cruise will probably be the beginning of the next block to open.

 

We were on the June 26th sailing of the Allure and loved it and this time we're going back with the whole family. A great ship, great crew, and wonderful entertainment. Loved the specialty restaurants and never really felt the 6200 passengers during our week on board! Have fun!!!

[PH8]

Show reservations seem to be about 90 days out.....maybe a few days sooner....

 

Our FR cruise Oct 23rd is open for bookings....

[mtsnd1900]

we were over 100 days. The openings go in blocks, you may be at the beginning or the tail end of your sailings release block.

 

Recommend signing up for the Meet and Mingle / Roll Call here on Cruise Critic if have not done so already. Read through there and I see a new trend of also starting a Facebook event page so you can invite the MM/RC to it, as well as a way to invite friends to come with you.

 

Inevitably, as soon as the booking window goes public, someone on your roll call will publish the notification (at least they should!)

 

Have fun!

[mtsnd1900]

we were over 100 days. The openings go in blocks, you may be at the beginning or the tail end of your sailings release block.

 

Recommend signing up for the Meet and Mingle / Roll Call here on Cruise Critic if have not done so already. Read through there and I see a new trend of also starting a Facebook event page so you can invite the MM/RC to it, as well as a way to invite friends to come with you.

 

Inevitably, as soon as the booking window goes public, someone on your roll call will publish the notification

 

Have fun!

[Denise5374]

I am sailing Oasis on 11/19 and food/restaurants have been open for a week or so but entertainment is not open yet.

 

Also, cannot order a wine package yet.

[negrilbride]

The November 6th, 2011 Allure Sailing's reservations for shows and dining have been open for a couple weeks now, so I would suggest you start checking to see if there are openings starting 150 days out for dining and 120 days out for entertainment.

 

It is hard to make dining reservations before you have an entertainment schedule, but you can look at a show schedule that is already published for your same itinerary traveling a different week and it is usually fairly accurate for your sailing as well.

[Quigley10]

Food is open for the Dec. 23rd holiday sailing on the FOS, but entertainment not yet. We booked our specialty restaurant meal to correspond with the regular MDR seating, since the entertainment schedule for the holiday cruise hasn't yet been released.

 

Will keep checking back on it!

[ma_in_ak]

Forgive my ignorance but what are the show reservations for? The nightly show in the main thater or the skating shows? This will be our first RCI cruise in October and I made specialty dining reservations but don't even see an option for show reservations. We sail on NOS on Oct 30.

[CloseCreations]

Thanks everyone! This is a big help. It seems that 150 days for dining and 100 for entertainment seems to be the benchmark.