Chef's Table seating times (FotS)

[fuzzybee]

I'm taking our family on the 6-night Western Caribbean cruise at the end of the year for my wife's birthday. I would like to take her to Chef's Table for a dinner, but it looks like the only available times I see are 6 and 8:30. 6 would be too early to drop the kids off at the kids club, and 8:30 would be too late in general (especially considering the time zone change). Did I miss reservation slots, or are there only two seatings?

 

Thanks!

[Clarea]

Chef's Table is a lengthy dinner, and I don't think it would be possible to have more than two seatings using a single venue.

[taglovestocruise]

We have Chefs Table booked on Independence of the Seas in Oct., several days were available but the only time slots offered were 5:30 or 8:30. happy cruising

[fuzzybee]

Thanks for the responses. Doesn't look like we can do either time, due to Adventure Ocean's hours. Argh.

[Clarea]

Thanks for the responses. Doesn't look like we can do either time, due to Adventure Ocean's hours. Argh.

You might talk to the AO people and see if they can take the kids early. I know they have programs where they take the kids to Windjammer for dinner and keep them for the evening.

[fuzzybee]

You might talk to the AO people and see if they can take the kids early. I know they have programs where they take the kids to Windjammer for dinner and keep them for the evening.

 

May have to inquire about that. Thanks!

[Alter Ego]

I've never seen Chef's Table offered multiple times, as it could take up to 4 hours for dinner.

 

I also haven't been on many ships! What ships do this? Seems some have a specific space set aside and diners can get quite loud, so the two tables can't be that close together. Would also ruin the ambience, IMO. Just wondering how it is actually set up?

[island lady]

Me neither. Have always observed one seating on all the Chef's Tables on various ships we have been on. Most

of them, as I remember, were 6:30 when they came to collect you at the lounge. Close to 11 pm when we got back to the cabin. :o

[fuzzybee]

Me neither. Have always observed one seating on all the Chef's Tables on various ships we have been on. Most

of them, as I remember, were 6:30 when they came to collect you at the lounge. Close to 11 pm when we got back to the cabin. :o

 

That doesn't sound like a good combination with children.

[taglovestocruise]

AO will keep the kids until 2Am

[sergioag]

Last December on AOTS there was only one time at 7:30pm or so. In any case, we ended up going to our stateroom close to 11pm. It was great a great experience though.

[island lady]

That doesn't sound like a good combination with children.

 

No...this would not be a good option with children. Adult conversation gets a little "free flowing" with the multiple glasses of

wine as the evening progresses, plus the kids would be bored silly sitting still for 3-4 hours over dinner.

[fuzzybee]

No...this would not be a good option with children. Adult conversation gets a little "free flowing" with the free flowing

wine later in the evening, plus the kids would be bored silly sitting still for 3-4 hours over dinner wouldn't you think??

 

I was referring to having children onboard and dining at Chef's Table - it would require them to be in Adventure Ocean before it opens and after it closes.

 

I think I'll just look at another restaurant.

[island lady]

 

I think I'll just look at another restaurant.

 

That would be the best idea...and cheaper anyway. :)

[gerif]

I was referring to having children onboard and dining at Chef's Table - it would require them to be in Adventure Ocean before it opens and after it closes.

 

I think I'll just look at another restaurant.

It doesn't "close" at 10, they offer late night sessions every night. You just have to pay after 10. As Clarea mentioned, they will often take them to dinner and then directly to AO.

[DiamondDiva]

Be careful about Chef's Table times listed online...not always what happens in reality on the ship! We recently had a Chef's Table dinner pre-booked on Oasis. All paperwork stated 8 pm, as did online booking spot. Our TV calendar in our room also listed 8 pm. Turned out it was at 6:30 pm, which we discovered at 4:30 that evening by chance. Staff running the dinner were unconcerned that we almost missed it, saying the time on our tv, the time on our pre-paid booking sheet, and the time on online booking were not their concern. Oh and if we had missed it, they would have charged us an additional $25 pp cancellation fee for a prepaid dinner.

 

We were quite surprised at this situation, having done Chef's Table on both Celebrity and Azamara. Their attitude was very " Not our problem. We changed the time a while back."

 

Fortunately, food, drink, and tablemates made up for the beginning of the evening. Three others were very late and 4 missed the dinner. Was not a good start to a " major birthday " celebration for us.

[sergioag]

Be careful about Chef's Table times listed online...not always what happens in reality on the ship! We recently had a Chef's Table dinner pre-booked on Oasis. All paperwork stated 8 pm, as did online booking spot. Our TV calendar in our room also listed 8 pm. Turned out it was at 6:30 pm, which we discovered at 4:30 that evening by chance. Staff running the dinner were unconcerned that we almost missed it, saying the time on our tv, the time on our pre-paid booking sheet, and the time on online booking were not their concern. Oh and if we had missed it, they would have charged us an additional $25 pp cancellation fee for a prepaid dinner.

 

We were quite surprised at this situation, having done Chef's Table on both Celebrity and Azamara. Their attitude was very " Not our problem. We changed the time a while back."

 

Fortunately, food, drink, and tablemates made up for the beginning of the evening. Three others were very late and 4 missed the dinner. Was not a good start to a " major birthday " celebration for us.

 

Checking my notes, we had a similar problem. We reserved at 7:30pm, but the TV showed 8:30pm. Being cautious, we went to the Concierge Lounge aiming at 7:30pm. Obviously we couldn't enter. When we called, Guest services was clueless, even saying that we cannot go inside the Concierge Lounge since we are not diamond or staying in a suite. Upon complaining that it was absurd (since we already has a *paid* reservation), we got transferred to the Concierge, who told us exactly where to wait (Library, next to the lounge). After finishing our dinner and getting back to our stateroom, we found an invitation card stating "Please meet at the Library located on Deck 11, Aft at 8:20pm". Guess our invitation arrived too late (specially considering we went out of our room taking in to account the original 7:30pm time).

 

This was not really an issue and, in the end, we really enjoyed our meal. We will be doing the Chef's Table again by the end of this year :D

[Tracker76]

Only one sitting on the Independence in Dec. We received an invitation the day of. We had to meet at Vintages at 6:30. Stumbled back to our rooms about 10pm.

 

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[island lady]

Checking my notes, we had a similar problem. We reserved at 7:30pm, but the TV showed 8:30pm. Being cautious, we went to the Concierge Lounge aiming at 7:30pm. Obviously we couldn't enter. When we called, Guest services was clueless, even saying that we cannot go inside the Concierge Lounge since we are not diamond or staying in a suite. Upon complaining that it was absurd (since we already has a *paid* reservation), we got transferred to the Concierge, who told us exactly where to wait (Library, next to the lounge). After finishing our dinner and getting back to our stateroom, we found an invitation card stating "Please meet at the Library located on Deck 11, Aft at 8:20pm". Guess our invitation arrived too late (specially considering we went out of our room taking in to account the original 7:30pm time).

 

This was not really an issue and, in the end, we really enjoyed our meal. We will be doing the Chef's Table again by the end of this year :D

 

Have taken part in many Chef's Table events on various ships and have never, ever had the pick up/waiting area to be in the Concierge Lounge. It is always one of the other lounges.

[DiamondDiva]

On Oasis Chef's Table was in the area between Coastal Kitchen and the suite lounge snack/buffet area, inside the Suite Lounge. Since we were not in a suite, we could not get inside and had to wait in the hall until someone in a suite accessed with his card.

 

We did not get an invite the day of the table...found out it " might be at 6 rather than 8 pm" from someone in Diamond Lounge in the late afternoon. Had difficulty getting info on that from Guest Services or from Suite Concierge on the phone to clarify. Again heard " not our problem". So we dressed up quickly and went up.

 

But the meal and wines were lovely!

[island lady]

On Oasis Chef's Table was in the area between Coastal Kitchen and the suite lounge snack/buffet area, inside the Suite Lounge. Since we were not in a suite, we could not get inside and had to wait in the hall until someone in a suite accessed with his card.

 

We did not get an invite the day of the table...found out it " might be at 6 rather than 8 pm" from someone in Diamond Lounge in the late afternoon. Had difficulty getting info on that from Guest Services or from Suite Concierge on the phone to clarify. Again heard " not our problem". So we dressed up quickly and went up.

 

But the meal and wines were lovely!

 

Yes, have observed the Chef's Table event going on each night while we were having dinner in CK...but isn't there a pick up area before you are lead into the event? That has been our experience on each and every one of the events on all other ships.

 

BTW: You can simply knock on the door of the SL to have the hostess open it for you, instead of waiting for someone with a key to walk through if that is where they they have you meet for Chef's Table, but I find that odd indeed as your host/wine steward usually leads the group to the table.

[sergioag]

Have taken part in many Chef's Table events on various ships and have never, ever had the pick up/waiting area to be in the Concierge Lounge. It is always one of the other lounges.

 

No, the Concierge Lounge was the venue for this event. The waiting area was the Library (which is next to it), but we didn't know until they contacted us with the concierge.

[EllaDuChien]

I'm taking our family on the 6-night Western Caribbean cruise at the end of the year for my wife's birthday. I would like to take her to Chef's Table for a dinner, but it looks like the only available times I see are 6 and 8:30. 6 would be too early to drop the kids off at the kids club, and 8:30 would be too late in general (especially considering the time zone change). Did I miss reservation slots, or are there only two seatings?

 

Thanks!

 

I just did the Chef's Table on the Freedom in June. There was only one time, 7:30, we met in front of the dining room and were walked back to the table. Dinner lasted until 10pm or so. It was the new Chef's Table menu and it was awesome! I know that it would be hard to finagle with the schedules in Adventure Ocean, but if you can, its really worth it. It is only on the back end that you might run into an issue, since AO will certainly be open by 7pm. You could always sign up for after hours care for just that one night. For an additional charge of course!! ;)

[Newtoncruise]

Do it. We did it last time and the food and wine pairings were great. But the highlight was the flowing conversation that followed the flowing wine. We all retired to the Viking Crack Lounge afterwards........it will now be called that evermore......

 

 

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[DiamondDiva]

We did try knocking on the door of the Suite Lounge, but no answer. So we waited for a suite person to enter, slid in behind, and then approached the desk. " Pickup" area was on a couch ( and they did bring us a glass of champagne) just inside the door for those of us not in suites...suite people attending the Chef's Table were already seated and having their champagne at the table. After about 15 minutes, they seated the 3 couples who were seated on the couch at the Table.

Just seemed to us to be poorly organized, with such a timing difference and very poor communication of a 2 hour time change.

 

Have certainly learned over our many cruises that each ship has its pluses and minuses and what goes well on one ship may not on another in the same group or even later on the same ship. We were just surprised at the poor attitude and lack of concern over the non-communication of a major time change.

My posting was done just to alert others to double check and make sure what, where, and when, especially for an expensive and often special meal such as Chef's Table. Each ship seems to be doing things differently on this, so just take care.