Trouble filling specialty restaurants?

[linkerbink]

We just got off an 8-nighter to New England and Canada on the Grandeur. Every day throughout the cruise we were approached by crew members offering 50% off at the different specialty restaurants. Are they having trouble filling the available reservations? And no, we didn't take advantage of the offers.

[Clarea]

It probably varies by ship and itinerary, but we have also experienced reduced price specialty restaurant offers on some, but not all cruises.

[cb at sea]

We've rarely found the specialty restaurants to be completely booked for every timeslot!

[lahlah57]

I prefer free specialty dining and by the sounds of it so do others;)

[teecee60]

We just got off an 8-nighter to New England and Canada on the Grandeur. Every day throughout the cruise we were approached by crew members offering 50% off at the different specialty restaurants. And no, we didn't take advantage of the offers.

 

Just curious as to why you would not take advantage of such a good deal? :confused:

Edited October 10, 2015 by teecee60

[Paulxyz2004]

My experience is for sure not scientific, but I´ve never seen the Restaurants anywhere Close to being fully booked, most of the times they are rather empty.

I also recognize for years how they constantly advertise the specialyty Dining.

[Big_G]

I have to agree with Bob because, after all, who wouldn't but most of all our experience has been almost full restaurants. Maybe we just sail and eat during peak times.

 

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[setsail]

Did you ask them for an answer while on the ship?

[nelblu]

We like to eat between 5:30 - 6:30 and many times we are the first diners.

[dschultz56]

We just got off an 8-nighter to New England and Canada on the Grandeur. Every day throughout the cruise we were approached by crew members offering 50% off at the different specialty restaurants. Are they having trouble filling the available reservations? And no, we didn't take advantage of the offers.

We just got off the 9-night Canada/New England on Brilliance. Same story..we were approached almost every day for special deals. And we took them up on it 4 nights because the main dining room menu on several nights was just unappealing. And the specialty dining wasn't even close to being full on any night. There were fewer than 10 people most of the times we dined (usually 6-8pm).

[tonto524]

On the other hand, I'm concerned because I haven't been able to make a res at either Chops or Giovanni's for any night of our 13 night cruise. Showing unavailable. Is this because they really ARE or because we are close to sailing (10/25) and might I have better luck on board?

[maggieq]

That's a current perk for D+ I wish they would change it as it's not unique for D+ anymore.

[cruisegirl1]

If I recall correctly, on our recent Freedom cruise, they were offering a speciality dining full package for $20 per person per night for the duration of the cruise. I guess that equates basically to BOGO every night.

 

A few times we haven't been able to get a reservation but more often than not the restaurants have not appeared to be too crowded.

 

M

[Smitty815]

My last cruise on the Oasis The four of us were given free meals at the Solarium one evening.

Personally I felt that the windjammer and MDR were much better. They did it because they had too many people booked for the MDR.

[Clarea]

My last cruise on the Oasis The four of us were given free meals at the Solarium one evening.

Personally I felt that the windjammer and MDR were much better. They did it because they had too many people booked for the MDR.

Windjammer and the MDR were better than dinner in the Solarium Bistro? That was not our feeling at all last month on Oasis.

[Yorkvillain]

My last cruise on the Oasis The four of us were given free meals at the Solarium one evening.

Personally I felt that the windjammer and MDR were much better. They did it because they had too many people booked for the MDR.

 

Windjammer and the MDR were better than dinner in the Solarium Bistro? That was not our feeling at all last month on Oasis.

 

Agreed. I could go for that bison right about now.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Yorkvillain

[Clarea]

Agreed. I could go for that bison right about now.

And the atmosphere and service too. Really nice place to eat.

[ShakeDaddy]

We prefer the variety and always at least dine in a specialty a few times per cruise. A discount is not what drives our decision, but if it's available all the better. :D

[kalliekae]

I have to agree with Bob because, after all, who wouldn't but most of all our experience has been almost full restaurants. Maybe we just sail and eat during peak times.

 

I've only been on two Oasis cruises, but we always eat in the specialty dining restaurants and all have been full or almost full. When we ate at Giovanni's, they were setting up extra tables in Central Park for the crowd and it was around 8:30pm. Chops was similarly busy. Only Vintages seems never crowded when we've been in there.

[Ashland]

Just recently off Radiance (Alaska) and took notice each night that Rita's Crab Shack and Izumi were empty...and the reason I did was on my two prior cruises before that on Jewel and Mariner the speciality restaurants were also mostly empty each night...From what I've seen recently it looks like these dining venues are not the big success RCI thought they would be. JMHO and what I personally noticed on my particular cruises.

[linkerbink]

Just curious as to why you would not take advantage of such a good deal? :confused:

 

We already paid for our meals with our fare....no need to pay extra when we are perfectly satisfied with other options. :)

[Smitty815]

Windjammer and the MDR were better than dinner in the Solarium Bistro? That was not our feeling at all last month on Oasis.

 

Yeah all four of us were disappointed. I'm normally not one to complain as I'm easily satisfied, but the steak I had tasted like a rubber boot haha. We were all so excited to eat somewhere fancier but ended up leaving and going to the windjammer to fill up. The atmosphere was really nice and I loved the deserts that's were available.

[Big_G]

I have to agree with Bob because, after all, who wouldn't but most of all our experience has been almost full restaurants. Maybe we just sail and eat during peak times.

 

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Guess I spoke too soon. Had a 7pm res at Giovanni's tonight and were walked right in without anyone asking if we had one. Probably a quarter of the tables were empty. It got a little busier but was never full while we were there.

 

 

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[tonto524]

So what do you all think about the situation currently with both Chops and Giovanni's showing nothing available for the 13 night 10/25 Brilliance sailing ? Really full? Closed to reservations until we board? Not that this is the end of the world, but it seems kind of strange.

[Trainman-2]

The specialty restaurants often appear to not be crowded, especially earlier in the evening because of the kitchen capacity/capability.

 

On our last cruise we were told by the Chops manager that the kitchen can put our 20 meals every 30 minutes so the book reservations so that 20 diners come in every 30 minutes.

 

For example, if a restaurant can seat 80 people they will book 20 reservations for 6 pm when they open and the restaurant will appear to be 3/4 empty. At 6:30 20 more people come in and the restaurant looks 1/2 empty. At 7 pm when 20 more people come it it will look 3/4 full. At 7:30 pm 20 more will come in and the restaurant will appear to be full but the first group will be starting to leave.

 

When you think about it, this is a pretty good system which allows the restaurant to provide reasonably prompt service for everyone.

 

It is when they are not booking 20 people every 30 minutes that they start offering discounts.