Free Specialty Restaurant on 1st Night--How Does It Work?

[tiller]

My mom and I are sailing on the Grand Princess in August and are getting a free dinner in one of the specialty restaurants on the first night. How does it work--do you get a card in your cabin telling you which restaurant and the time? Or do you call to make the reservation after you board? If there is a card, can you change the restaurant or time?

 

Any info is welcome. Thanks!

[Nemo2005]

Tiller - how did you find out that your dinner is on the first night? We are expecting an assignment for our cruise, but the instructions say we'll find out later. Just wondering...when is later compared to one's cruise?

[nukesubsailor]

My mom and I are sailing on the Grand Princess in August and are getting a free dinner in one of the specialty restaurants on the first night. How does it work--do you get a card in your cabin telling you which restaurant and the time? Or do you call to make the reservation after you board? If there is a card, can you change the restaurant or time?

 

Any info is welcome. Thanks!

 

There are two ways you could be awarded a free meal in one of the specialty restaurant. If you got in on the 3 for Free promotion then you will be notified of the date, time, and restaurant where you will get the free meal. My guess is the notification will be by a letter or card delivered to your cabin. The odds are that this will not be on the first night. There will be so many who booked under this promotion that the ship's food service manager will have to make sure to spread them out between the two restaurants and all the nights of the cruise.

The other way is only if you are booked in a full suite. This is the perk that applies only to full suite guests on embarkation evening. The suite guests will take up a lot of the tables on this evening.

Which ever case applies to you, you will enjoy the meal. If you end up in the Crown Grill, I recommend the filet mignon and lobster. If you end up in Sabatini's, try the calamari.

[LewesBeach]

We booked under a 3 for Free Promo on the Star in AK. When we boarded, we had a voucher in our room for a free meal in a specialty restaurant - we were told to call and make our own reservations, which we did.

[tiller]

Tiller - how did you find out that your dinner is on the first night? We are expecting an assignment for our cruise, but the instructions say we'll find out later. Just wondering...when is later compared to one's cruise?

 

Our travel agent told us it would be the first night, but didn't have any other details.

[tiller]

We're not in a full suite, so this must be the 3 for Free promotion (that doesn't ring a bell, I'll ask my mom). I'd rather make our own reservation, so hopefully that's the case. Thank you for the info and menu suggestions!

[elliair]

We booked under a 3 for Free Promo on the Star in AK. When we boarded, we had a voucher in our room for a free meal in a specialty restaurant - we were told to call and make our own reservations, which we did.

 

This is good to know as I was wondering how it would work. We're on the Star in about 4 days and we booked the 3 for free deal. We are hoping it isn't Sabitinis as we're more steak and lobster type of people. We definitely won't be making the reservations for the first night.

[catlady1]

The first night free din is not a P promotion. It's from your TA. You will get a card in your room prior to sailing. I have called the restaurant and asked if we can use it on another night. Sometimes they agree sometimes not. The last cruise we had 2 free nights. One from the TA and one from a P promotion. We also decided to eat at the buffet one night. We were on a 7 day Carib cruise and didn't show up to our assigned table until the 4th night. We did have the pleasure of having dinner with a very nice family the last 3 nights.

Also, the TA usually gives us a free bottle of champagne. It's a pretty cheap bottle of champagne. We trade that for a bottle of red wine which we have used for 2 dinners.

Have fun

Mike

[elkay68]

We are in a full suite and used amex platinum to book. Since we will receive a comp dinner for the first night for being in a suite and one for amex will they let us use one another night?