logistics of Crown Grill Reservations

[Cruiserkenn]

My only comment here is that sometimes the DINE line just rings, and rings, and rings, and rings, and rings, and rings... It's great when it works but it doesn't always work.

 

Gosh, I have heard others say this.

 

I have had good luck with the Dine Line on the Sun. Star, Golden, Grand, Diamond, and Sapphire.

 

I take the Patter with me to the phone, and I wait for them to answer.

 

It works for me:)

[OCruisers]

Just back from Ruby. Dine Line answered promptly every time I called. :)

 

Note: On Embarkation Day the Dine Line does not open until Noon.

Keep that in mind when taking a B2B. It won't open until Noon on your "turnaround" day.

 

LuLu

[bhopal21]

Just back from Ruby. Dine Line answered promptly every time I called. :)

 

Note: On Embarkation Day the Dine Line does not open until Noon.

Keep that in mind when taking a B2B. It won't open until Noon on your "turnaround" day.

 

LuLu

 

We were onboard the Ruby 3 times last year and dined each time in the Crown Grill and had no problems making reservations via telephone.

 

Mike:)

[OCruisers]

This is sort of funny:

After having dinner in Sabatini's we decided to make reservations there for another night so stopped at their desk going out. They took our reservation request and immediately picked up the phone and called Dine Line to make them for us.

LuLu

[COMBOY]

I must admit that I have not been on a Princess ship since Feb. 2012. Now sailing this Feb. on the new Regal and very excited.

I know that I must give both names of the diners when making reservations for the Crown Grill. But, I'm not sure how to make a reservation for a 4 top if I do not know who will be joining us later in the week for dinner.

 

Valentines Day is on this cruise and I want to snag a 2 top as soon as I get on board and make the other reservations at the same time for another night at the Crown Grill and 2 nights Sabatini's on a 7 day. But I will only know 2 of the 4 diners. Will Princess let me hold a 4 top with the other diners names being given later?

 

I hope my question makes sense. Any advise would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

It looks like you are on a RSVP charter (Regal P Feb 8-15) and like most charters specialty dining is done a little differently then non-charters (per the RSVP policy-I copy and pasted below). I think this is due to popularity of the Specialty dining and fairness to all so advance reservations more then 2 days ahead of time are NOT available. At least this is way it been done on both my RSVP and Atlantis cruises. There isn't a limit to number you can book, but really large parties are discourage since there aren't many large tables if at all. You will have to do it first thing in person on Thursday morning and do expect a line if you get there late. I think Suite passengers are given a few extra days.

 

Specialty Restaurants

Variety is the spice of life, especially when it comes to gourmet fare. For the perfect night

with your husband, wife, partner, or with friends, be sure to check out Regal’s fabulous

specialty restaurants. Reservations are required for dining in Sabatini’s, Crown Grill, and

Fondue or Crab Shack in Horizon Court. Please note there is an extra charge for dining in

these specialty restaurants.

 

You can make a same- or next-day booking in-person at the designated times listed in

Princess Patter. Reservations are based on availability and are first come, first served

Edited January 26, 2015 by COMBOY

[Cruiserkenn]

This is sort of funny:

After having dinner in Sabatini's we decided to make reservations there for another night so stopped at their desk going out. They took our reservation request and immediately picked up the phone and called Dine Line to make them for us.

LuLu

 

That is a good one! Thanks for sharing:)

 

Thanks to you and Bhopal for the good words on the Dine Line.

[critterchick]

a. The Quantum of the Seas has far more tables available for fee-based dining. Princess has only two small restaurants per ship. There is no question that a system could be put in place to accomplish what you suggest. But to what end? The first 200 people who book a particular cruise would sell out the restaurant for the entire cruise, and then two-thirds of them would end up cancelling (or just not showing up) when the day actually arises. That is a lose-lose for passenger and for the cruise line.

 

b. "My Disney Experience" is an entirely different animal. Disney isn't spending $1.5B so that you can pre-reserve Palio. What MDE does, (or hopes to do) cannot be compared at all to what cruise ship passengers want or need.

 

Royal Caribbean allows pre-booking but you pay for it at the time you book. I imagine that keeps the no-shows down. You can cancel the reservation once onboard but if you don't show up, or if you cancel within 24 hours of your table, they will keep half of your money. Even when they only had 2 small venues (Chops and Portofino), there was plenty of room for those who waited until they were onboard to book. I for one would welcome the opportunity to pre-book and am willing to pay up front.

[Woobstr112G]

Concerns of how they will work it have been figured out and I am sure the company writing the software has addressed all of them. Quantum of the Sea has it in operations along with another curies line in EU. Carnival Corp has started the move with installation of these systems on two Carnival Ships, the move to the 21century technology. The systems I have seen and watch videos on do not work until you are on board and using the ships wifi system. I have used the DCL navigator, (patten) system and it only works on board. They have added on board texting to two of there ships.

 

Disney is working toward a system, and sure rest are doing it, were everything will be done on line before you go to terminal or hotel resort. You will have a wrist band that will be your key to the world card. Walk up to post in terminal wave your bracket in front of it and it will say Welcome Aboard Mr. and Mrs. xxx hope you have a great cruise. It will have taken your picture and matched it though the computer and know exactly who you are. Only issue with the system is Customs totally separate issue.

 

Yes this is a change but it is coming. They will overlap for a period of time. But eventually it will be the way things are done. How long the overlap is will depend on how well they sell it and get the customer's to accept it.

 

For Disney it is already 1.5 Billion dollar investment. So they are looking for big returns in labor savings.

 

Yes right after this is completed someone will come up with a better one.

 

We actually boarded the Emerald Princess put carry on's in room and walked to Crown Grill and made reservation. Did not even use the phone. I will tell all that have a smart phones and use them. You will like having the Patten in an app at your finger tips, that has your camera, watch, and ship card all in one.

 

I always go to the venue to make reservations. When I first started cruising Princess in 2008, I found that it was often very hard to get someone to actually answer the dine line.

 

My two cents about the future of pre cruise dining reservations or an electronic dining reservation system on board. I see nothing but problems if Princess implements the system. As a previous poster stated, people could make blanket reservations that covered a number of days with no real intention of going to each reservation. The only way this might work is if there was a mandatory pre payment if you pre book or a hefty charge added to one's shipboard account for failing to show up for your reservation. Another solution would be to increase the number and types of specialty dining venues on future new builds for Princess. Not talking about the "Pop Up" types like the Crab Shack or Fondues, but actual venues like what is already in place.....:):):)

 

Bob

Edited January 27, 2015 by Woobstr112G

[JimmyVWine]

I for one would welcome the opportunity to pre-book and am willing to pay up front.

 

The issue isn't so much whether you would welcome it as much as whether you need it. I have never seen a single thread here where people have complained about the unavailability of Specialty dining. The way the system works now, everyone on board has an equal opportunity to obtain a table and few people find that they cannot. But you have to consider that vagaries of human nature and the fact that sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Give people some shiny new toy to play with and they will play with it. People booking cruises 400 days in advance will start to click the button and fill tables that they have no idea if they will use. People booking cruises 100 days in advance will be left with scraps. Why or how is that an "improvement" over a system that isn't broken? Prepayment and cancellation policies will simply revert the process back to status quo. Cancel once on board and then others can fill those open slots during the cruise...same as it works now. I don't understand what level of self satisfaction you achieve by being able to book 400 days in advance. Another poster mentioned Disney's new system. But getting a table at Sabatini's is not the same as riding Toy Story Midway Mania. No one is bypassing a 2 hour line by booking the Crown Grill in advance.

[critterchick]

The issue isn't so much whether you would welcome it as much as whether you need it. I have never seen a single thread here where people have complained about the unavailability of Specialty dining. The way the system works now, everyone on board has an equal opportunity to obtain a table and few people find that they cannot. But you have to consider that vagaries of human nature and the fact that sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Give people some shiny new toy to play with and they will play with it. People booking cruises 400 days in advance will start to click the button and fill tables that they have no idea if they will use. People booking cruises 100 days in advance will be left with scraps. Why or how is that an "improvement" over a system that isn't broken? Prepayment and cancellation policies will simply revert the process back to status quo. Cancel once on board and then others can fill those open slots during the cruise...same as it works now. I don't understand what level of self satisfaction you achieve by being able to book 400 days in advance. Another poster mentioned Disney's new system. But getting a table at Sabatini's is not the same as riding Toy Story Midway Mania. No one is bypassing a 2 hour line by booking the Crown Grill in advance.

 

I said nothing about booking 400 days in advance. RCI doesn't even allow one to book until about 6 months out, so if Princess were to follow a similar model, your parade of horribles is unlikely to occur. RCI also holds back some number of tables for onboard booking. Do I "need" to do it in advance? Of course not - nobody "needs" a specialty restaurant at all." But do I prefer to have an advance reservation so I don't have to deal with it once onboard? Absolutely.

 

I have never felt it necessary to start a thread saying that I couldn't get a reservation, but you can count this as your first one if you like (although I'm not complaining, just stating our experience). Several times we have been unable to book because we waited until late on boarding day or even the second day of the cruise, so now our routine is to go to our cabin and straight to the telephone, where I sometimes wait on hold for 10-15 minutes to speak to somebody. I'd rather just get it done before I board so I can make it to lunch in the dining room before it closes.

 

On Golden, there is nobody in the restaurants to take a reservation. We saw lots of people walk up during the breakfast hour at Sabatini's and attempt to make one; the maitre d' told them to call the Dine Line. I don't know how many ships follow that model and how many will make the call for you.

 

And I'm a little surprised that Princess still doesn't make one pay for dining, shore excursions or spa treatments prior to the cruise if booked in advance. That's a lot money sitting in our bank accounts instead of theirs. In this day and age where people feel squeezed out of every nickel and dime, that's not chump change for them.

Edited January 27, 2015 by critterchick

[JimmyVWine]

Do I "need" to do it in advance? Of course not

 

I rest my case. We agree that we are discussing something that is technologically possible, but unnecessary.

[jak378]

This is sort of funny:

After having dinner in Sabatini's we decided to make reservations there for another night so stopped at their desk going out. They took our reservation request and immediately picked up the phone and called Dine Line to make them for us.

LuLu

 

On the Regal in December, shortly before lunch time we tried to call the Dine Line to make reservations for Anytime Dining for dinner. The phone rang and rang, so we decided to eat lunch in the dining room and make a reservation with the Maitre d' for dinner. Same thing, we approached him with the request and he simply picked up the phone and dialed the Dine Line, and, you guessed it, the phone rang and rang and rang.