Dinner and Showtimes

[mal&jason]

So I am getting ready to make my reservations for the restaurants (Epic, 9/18/2016) and have a few questions:

 

1. What are prime times? 7pm?

2. What day is Priscilla typically and what time is it?

3. How much would you allow between a dinner reservation and a show?

4. What day is Cirque Dreams typically and what time is it?

5. Two of us have the 3 day promo specialty dining plan, two of us do not. We will probably eat in specialty restaurants 5 nights. Do you think it would be smart to get the other two the 5 night sdp? Can we upgrade our 3 night to a 5 night?

6. We are in the Haven. Does the Epic Club dining room stand up to the specialty restaurants?

 

Thanks in advance!

Mallory

[Love.II.Cruise]

I don't have the answers, but have many of the same questions. :)

 

What time are the early shows and late shows? We are also trying to plan dinner reservations around the shows.

[cb at sea]

Around 7 IS the busiest dinner time...the show times will be listed in your daily newsletter, so you can plan dinner around the show you wish to see. I'd allow 1 1/2 hours for dinner...might not take that long, but that's the safest!

[BirdTravels]

So I am getting ready to make my reservations for the restaurants (Epic, 9/18/2016) and have a few questions:

You will be able to book dinners and shows starting around 06/10/16. Book quickly for the best selection of times.

 

1. What are prime times? 7pm?

Yes. That is about right. Dinner reservations around 7:00 will sell out quickly. Teppanyaki and Cagney's are the most popular restaurants and sell out quickly

 

2. What day is Priscilla typically and what time is it?

Priscilla is typically 7:00 and 10:00 in the Epic Theater. Burn the floor 7:00 and 9:30. There is reserved Havens seating on the left side of the theater. If there is a long line waiting to get in, look for the Concierge or their staff - they will help you get around the general admission line and walk you into the theater.

 

3. How much would you allow between a dinner reservation and a show?

The online system blocks 2+ hours for specialty dining reservations. So, your dinner reservation needs to be 2 1/2 hour before the start of the late show (no later than 7:00 for Burn the Floor and 7:30 for Priscilla). The system and telephone reservation agents will not allow you to book your dinner any closer to the show. Once you are on board, immediately after you embark, the concierge staff can adjust reservation times closer than 2 1/2 hours if you are really in a rush.

 

4. What day is Cirque Dreams typically and what time is it?

Don't know what is current. They were switching dates and times. If they do 2 shows, it is 6:30 and 9:30. For the Cirque, the concierge staff will escort you down about 45 minutes before show time. They will let you enter through a side stage door and give you the best seats in the house before general admission seating starts.

 

5. Two of us have the 3 day promo specialty dining plan, two of us do not. We will probably eat in specialty restaurants 5 nights. Do you think it would be smart to get the other two the 5 night sdp? Can we upgrade our 3 night to a 5 night?

I would not. Use your SDP nights at the a la cart restaurants and pay the flat fee if you are dining at Monderno or Teppanyaki. The Havens restaurant has a wonderful menu and you need to eat there also.

 

6. We are in the Haven. Does the Epic Club dining room stand up to the specialty restaurants?

Yes. Especially if they have gone to the new Havens menus (they had not changed yet in October 2015).

 

Thanks in advance!

Mallory

 

Enjoy the Epic. It is a wonderful ship (we've been sailed on her 5 times). Take advantage of your access to the private posh club sundeck and bar!

Edited May 29, 2016 by BirdTravels

[mal&jason]

Wonderful answers! Thank you so much.

 

Can we make reservations for the shows 100 days before sailing, too? Or are reservations not needed?

 

:-) Happy Mallory

[mal&jason]

What are the a la carte restaurants on the Epic? Why would we save the SDP nights for those? Also do we tell the maître d that we are using the SDP when we are being seated?

 

Thanks!

[BirdTravels]

Wonderful answers! Thank you so much.

 

Can we make reservations for the shows 100 days before sailing, too? Or are reservations not needed?

 

:-) Happy Mallory

Yes,,,, shows and dinner reservations 100 days out. Bookings open to the general non-Havens guest on day 90, so you have a 10 day head start,,,, use it wisely and have a great cruse!

 

btw: The Havens are wonderful. We had a 2-bedroom forward facing room on a cruise from Southampton to Barcelona last year. Could have spent the whole cruise in the Havens courtyard!

[BirdTravels]

What are the a la carte restaurants on the Epic? Why would we save the SDP nights for those? Also do we tell the maître d that we are using the SDP when we are being seated?

 

Monderno Brazilian Steakhouse $24.95

Teppanyaki $29.95

La Cucina Italian a la carte

Le Bistro French a la carte

Cagney's Steakhouse a la carte

Wasabi Sushi a la carte or $7 upcharge on SDP

Cirque Dreams $39 or $15 upcharge on SDP

 

Why use SDP on a la carte restaurants? It depends on what you eat. I know that I can eat as much as I want and pay $24.95 at Monderno.

 

If I go to Cagney's and use my SDP, I can eat for "free". No additional charges. If I go to Cagney's and pay a la carte, I pay for what I eat. For example,,, if you order (and I want to try a lot when I am on a cruise):

Shrimp Cocktail (3 shrimp) $8.00

Crab Salad Appetizer $6.00

Potato Soup $3.00

Wedge Salad $4.00

Tomahawk Ribeye Steak $39.00

Bake Potato, Mushrooms, Cream Corn, Green Bean sides $8.00

Raspberry Creme Brulee Desssert $5.00

 

My total bill with automatic 18% gratuity would be $86.14 (much more than $24.95 at Monderno). So I would use the SDP for the a al carte restaurants and pay for the fixed price restaurants out of pocket.

 

Yes, tell the maître d that you are using the SDP when you arrive.

Edited May 29, 2016 by BirdTravels

[mal&jason]

BirdTravels,

 

Thank you so much for your other responses. You answers were so complete and helped me understand completely how it works!

 

Yes, I'm very excited about traveling in the Haven. We are also in a front facing 2 bedroom villa #17000. What was your cabin?

 

:-)

Mallory