Allure of The Seas Dining Package

[Colleen8580]

We are sailing on Allure in October and considering buying the 3-meal dining package. Ideally we would like to use use it for Chops, the Brazillan place, and the Bottomless Brunch. However, with the package you can not reserve your dining times until you are on the ship and they pick the first one for you (but sounds like maybe you can switch if you don't like it?). It looks like it does not make sense to use the package for Giovani's Table or the mexican place since they are cheaper and I didn't really care for Giovani's Table when I sailed on the Oasis a few years ago. Anybody have experience with the dining package and if its worth it? Is there any difficulty with getting reservations at the places you want to dine at times that are not super early or super late or conflict with other show reservations? Any difficulties in using the package to book the bottomless brunch once on board? Its just 2 of us so not a large group.

[Ken at the beach]

We have had a dining package on each of our last 4 cruises on Oasis class ships.

 

We've never had a problem changing the first nights reservation (sometimes they didn't even make us a reservation). We also have not had a problem making our other reservations and have always been able to get within 1/2 hour of our preferred time.

 

We board right at 11 and our first stop is a restaurant to make our reservations. If you wait until later you may not get the times you want.

[Englk003]

I have had the dining package on our last 2 cruises, and never had a problem making reservations on the ship. We board as soon as we can and go strait to the restaurants and make them. I think it is totally worth it. Enjoy!

 

 

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[katiel53]

I haven't had any problems when using the 5 night package and I'm sure it's the same for the 3 or 4 night package. In January, our assigned restaurant for the first night was Samba and we wanted to change it to Chops and we were able to. At that time, there was a hostess station near guest services and she made all our reservations for the week.

 

In July, I don't know what we were assigned as I went to Chops and said that I wanted our reservations for that night and we then made the rest of our reservations while there. There were people walking all around trying to drum up business for the specialty restaurants.

 

I do want to mention that later in the week of our January cruise, we wanted to go to Samba and we did. We had reservations for 8PM and there were only 2 other people in there when we arrived. The salad bar was almost empty except for some seafood items. The service was really bad and we decided to never go there again. I don't know if it was because our reservations were for later in the evening, or if that's how it usually is. I have read a few reviews that said it was OK, so maybe things are better now.

[rmurray847]

I haven't had any problems when using the 5 night package and I'm sure it's the same for the 3 or 4 night package. In January, our assigned restaurant for the first night was Samba and we wanted to change it to Chops and we were able to. At that time, there was a hostess station near guest services and she made all our reservations for the week.

 

In July, I don't know what we were assigned as I went to Chops and said that I wanted our reservations for that night and we then made the rest of our reservations while there. There were people walking all around trying to drum up business for the specialty restaurants.

 

I do want to mention that later in the week of our January cruise, we wanted to go to Samba and we did. We had reservations for 8PM and there were only 2 other people in there when we arrived. The salad bar was almost empty except for some seafood items. The service was really bad and we decided to never go there again. I don't know if it was because our reservations were for later in the evening, or if that's how it usually is. I have read a few reviews that said it was OK, so maybe things are better now.

 

On our recent cruise (Aug 20-27) we did NOT eat at Samba, but because it's right there on the Boardwalk, we often walked by it. I seldom noticed more than 3 or 4 tables being occupied. Of all the specialty restaurants I observed, it seemed to be the least patronized. (On the other hand, the Samba bar, which is in a separate structure near the restaurant, is well located and busy. But the bartenders there were great.)

[Ken at the beach]

On our recent cruise (Aug 20-27) we did NOT eat at Samba, but because it's right there on the Boardwalk, we often walked by it. I seldom noticed more than 3 or 4 tables being occupied. Of all the specialty restaurants I observed, it seemed to be the least patronized. (On the other hand, the Samba bar, which is in a separate structure near the restaurant, is well located and busy. But the bartenders there were great.)

 

You are referring to Sabor (Mexican) which is on the boardwalk. Samba is a Brazillian steakhouse on deck 15. During the day it is the Solarium Bistro and at night it turns into Samba.

[Colleen8580]

Thank you all for the information!