Ultimate Balcony Dining, Dinner or Breakfast - Your Experiences and Take on it?

[LH25]

Nope. It's priced as a total package, not per person. So it's all other nothing.. He could order breakfast for just himself but it's still the $40 whether you join in or not...

 

Ok, thanks. I'll tell him to be nice to me and I might do it :D

[wanderlust1955]

We have been wanting to book a UBD, but we are not drinkers, so we haven't felt it was worth it to us. I'd book it in a heartbeat on our next cruise since we will have an extended balcony, but I seriously doubt they would give us a price reduction for no alcohol. :(

 

Nancy, They will swap out alcoholic drinks for non-alcoholic drinks. We had mocktails and non-alcoholic wine. I think it's more about the experience..you'll feel pampered! Paula

[trvlwrld]

nice but highly over-rated..spend your $$ on one of the specialty restaurants

[beckntom]

nice but highly over-rated..spend your $$ on one of the specialty restaurants

 

 

I totally disagree. One of our nicest cruises experiences ever. MUCH nicer than a specialty restaurant. But that's my opinion, and you have yours.

[DaisyRose]

I have onboard credit, and tried to book the Ultimate Balcony Dining, but it seems you can't use OB CR if you book online. So, I will be waiting until we board. Can anyone tell me when and where we can try to book once we get onboard? Thanks in advance.

[58Piano]

Anyone booked it and had an inside cabin? Maybe ask for it to be held elsewhere on the ship? The sanctuary would be nice! I dont want to pay an extra $400 for a balcony just because I want this amazing UPD

[NoWhiners]

I think we've usually done $20 each ($40 total), and I just checked my budget plan for our cruise next month, and that's how much I penciled in. (I do have a $160 contingency to be able to go above and beyond if needed across the week.)

 

$10-$20 per staff/server.

Usually there are 2 crew serving/helping.

 

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated. They do such a good job, they really deserve a decent tip. I like the contingency fund idea :-)

 

ML

[palmera]

How much is UBD for 3 persons? Just curious.

Thank you much.

 

 

 

~

[Corfe Mixture]

nice but highly over-rated..spend your $$ on one of the specialty restaurants

 

 

Totally disagree. My view is why would anyone go to a speciality restaurant when you can get so much more for almost the same price, particularly if you have a (wind free) aft facing balcony.

 

Each to his own, but my arithmetic goes like this:

 

Crown Grill $29 per person (plus $10 if you want surf 'n' turf) =$58 min or $78 max

Bottle of wine included to value of $32 in UBD deal (in lieu of half bottle of champagne) gives equivalent price if purchased in Crown Grill of min $90, max $110.

 

UBD is $100 per couple, inc surf 'n' turf (if you want it), and you get so much more than just the food and wine.

 

IMHO, assuming neither of you want surf 'n' turf, the extras (cocktail, photo, SERVICE) more than justify the additional $5 per person, over the cost of Crown Grill plus wine.

Edited August 22, 2017 by Corfe Mixture

[XBGuy]

I have onboard credit, and tried to book the Ultimate Balcony Dining, but it seems you can't use OB CR if you book online. So, I will be waiting until we board. Can anyone tell me when and where we can try to book once we get onboard? Thanks in advance.

 

Call the DINE Line as soon as you board. You should be able to get it. The main advantage of reserving before the cruise is being able to lock in a specific day. If you want it on a certain evening, it is possible that they might not be able to accommodate you.

 

Anyone booked it and had an inside cabin? Maybe ask for it to be held elsewhere on the ship? The sanctuary would be nice! I dont want to pay an extra $400 for a balcony just because I want this amazing UPD

 

I have seen at least one report, here on Cruise Critic, that people have enjoyed it in their inside cabin. Now, that does not mean that it really is available for inside cabins or that it really is available for inside cabins on all ships. As I recommended to Daisy Rose, call the DINE Line and ask. The worst that can happen is that you'd be turned down. The Sanctuary thing seems less likely to me, but, again, you can ask for free.

[GUT2407]

For breakfast we prefer to either order room service or fetch a few trays from the buffet.

 

Dinner they couldn't accomodate Mrs Gut's dietary needs, which surprised me a little as the MDR always has. But then Chefs Table wouldn't either.

[Colfireman]

Thank you guys so much for your input! Knowing me (that translates into knowing hubby! grin), I think I would forego the UBD breakfast and just continue with what I am doing maybe one day adding some croissants. Hubby and I like breakfast in the dining room, especially on sea days.

 

But the dinner sounds intriguing! Too bad they don't have pricing for non-drinkers, but still might try it just once.

 

Pooh

 

We are non drinkers and they came up with a nice chocolate mudslide drink for us to start. It was well worth the price for the dinner.

[perfect match]

We are non drinkers and they came up with a nice chocolate mudslide drink for us to start. It was well worth the price for the dinner.

 

Nancy, They will swap out alcoholic drinks for non-alcoholic drinks. We had mocktails and non-alcoholic wine. I think it's more about the experience..you'll feel pampered! Paula

 

That chocolate mudslide sounds good! Thanks to both of you for the info. We are still over a year out, so I think I still have time to think about it. I'm definitely considering it. :D

[huskerdan25]

nice but highly over-rated..spend your $$ on one of the specialty restaurants

 

Couldn't disagree more! Dinner in an intimate environment where you are the total focus of the dinner. The food is excellent as is the service. Not even comparable to a night in a specialty restaurant. To us, this is one of the things that sets Princess apart from other cruise lines and one of the many reasons Princess is our cruise line of choice over Celebrity. You should experience this at least once if you can. Well worth it!

[ILShipmates]

Call the DINE Line as soon as you board. You should be able to get it. The main advantage of reserving before the cruise is being able to lock in a specific day. If you want it on a certain evening, it is possible that they might not be able to accommodate you.

 

Not sure about this answer... I tried the dine line, but was told to call the room service line. They asked what day and what time. We pick the day we are in port the longest so don't have to deal with wind.

I have seen at least one report, here on Cruise Critic, that people have enjoyed it in their inside cabin. Now, that does not mean that it really is available for inside cabins or that it really is available for inside cabins on all ships. As I recommended to Daisy Rose, call the DINE Line and ask. The worst that can happen is that you'd be turned down. The Sanctuary thing seems less likely to me, but, again, you can ask for free.

 

People have done it in their cabin. It has to be pretty cramped though for an inside.

See replies in red above.

[XBGuy]

ILShipmates--Very interesting that you were instructed to call Room Service. Once again, there seems to be inconsistency in the various ships' operations.

 

The first time I tried the UBD, you could not book it beforehand. When we arrived at our cabin, I called the DINE Line, made reservations at Sabatini's and the Crown Grill and made a reservation for UBD--three reservations on one call. This was in 2013 on the Golden Princess.

 

Our second UBD was in 2015 on the Crown Princess. Prior to departure I was able to call Princess to make a reservation for the UBD but was unable to specify the date. On boarding day the Room Service Manager called and asked if he could come to our cabin to finalize the details for the UBD. At that time we were able to arrange for the date and time along with the menu options.

 

Last October we booked our third UBD on the Ruby Princess. In my cruise personalizer I was able to make the reservation and select the date--but not the time. On boarding we found a voucher in our cabin with instructions to call Room Service (I think) to finalize the details. Interestingly enough, Room Service did not seem to be answering their phone that afternoon--no automated response, no music, just ringing. I think I was finally able to reach them later in the evening after we'd returned from dinner.

 

So, now that I think about it, Room Service may now be the appropriate first call. If nobody answers, however, I would not hesitate to call the DINE Line, and ask them. It's always good to have a Plan B.

 

;p

[huskerdan25]

XBGuy, are experience was similar to your 3rd time. I pre-ordered it thinking that if I wanted to guarantee I get it on a certain date (our anniversary date), then I need to pre-order instead of waiting to get onboard. We had the voucher in our room with instructions to call to finalize the details. This was on the Regal. And if I remember correctly, we were directed to call the Dine Line, not Room Service.

[DaisyRose]

Well, it looks like we should either call Room Service or the Dine Line. It's good to know, we can try both. I'd love to pre-reserve, but since I want to use OB credit to pay for it, I can't order through my personalizer and will have to wait until I board. Thanks to everyone for your helpful responses.

[Wondermouse]

Booked the UBD for a Panama Canal cruise. In reading the posts about the wind causing some issues, I booked for the day cruising the canal. We are doing the Balcony breakfast in the morning and the dinner that night. For those of you that have been on this itinerary before could you please let me know your thoughts? The cruise will be in Oct/Nov and it shows the Canal until 4:30. Will we be gaining speed right after that time? Is this a good time to do the dinner or would a different day be better? Thanks for your insight.

[luckyinpa]

i'm now having a hard time deciding what day to do my dinner. i'll be on regal to canada on saturday to thursday at the end of october. i know barring a miracle the dinner will be in the mini suite , not outside.

 

monday sailaway is 530 and tuesday is 7 and to be honest i have no clue what i'm even gonna do on saint john or halifax yet. so getting back to the ship for a 6pm dining really wouldnt be an issue at all.

 

so that leaves me with sea day sunday or monday or tuesday (dont want to do it last night). since the weather will likely be a non factor is there any other determinate someone can think of for me? like maybe there would be a crush of people at the other restaurants coming back from shore mon/tues and that nite in my cabin may be better?

[XBGuy]

Lucky, don't overthink this. It is going to be a wonderful experience regardless of:

 

• whether you do it on a "port" day or a "sea" day
  
• whether you actually do it on your balcony or you do it inside your cabin
  
• whether you do it on a "Formal" night or you do it on a "Smart Casual" night
  
• whatever the theme might be in the dinining room or the buffet.
  

That being said, if you do not have a special event to celebrate on a specific day--e.g., anniversary or birthday--the best advice I have seen on this topic is to do it earlier in the cruise rather than later. I have two reasons for holding this opinion:

 

• One of the pleasant niceties of the UBD is the little floral centerpiece that is brought for your table. These flowers will keep for several days. So, they are a very attractive decoration to your cabin.
  
• Just before your servers leave--at about the time that I am enjoying my second cup of coffee as I lean back in my chair trying to encourage my digestive system to do its job--they will leave a tray of petit fours. (One time they actually left three trays for us.) MORE FOOD. There is no way we have been able to eat those petit fours after that meal. However, we stick them in our mini-fridge and, again, over the next few days we continue to enjoy them.
  

:D

 

 

 

Have a great cruise.

[geoherb]

Booked the UBD for a Panama Canal cruise. In reading the posts about the wind causing some issues, I booked for the day cruising the canal. We are doing the Balcony breakfast in the morning and the dinner that night. For those of you that have been on this itinerary before could you please let me know your thoughts? The cruise will be in Oct/Nov and it shows the Canal until 4:30. Will we be gaining speed right after that time? Is this a good time to do the dinner or would a different day be better? Thanks for your insight.

I don't think doing them the same day is wise. You want to eat light on the day you do the dinner. I would book the dinner for earlier in the cruise, preferably the second or third night, whichever isn't formal night.

[lauram952]

Can anyone advise if you can do this for 3 people and how much it would cost?

 

Thanks :)

[OzKiwiJJ]

Well, it looks like we should either call Room Service or the Dine Line. It's good to know, we can try both. I'd love to pre-reserve, but since I want to use OB credit to pay for it, I can't order through my personalizer and will have to wait until I board. Thanks to everyone for your helpful responses.

We're on Royal at the moment and had to call Room Service to book.

[Eggfrmr]

I found the MDR menus posted for our upcoming cruise. I went through them and picked the night that was the least appealing to us. I booked the UBD for that night.

 

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