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Pre Reserving Restaurants

dcl1710

By dcl1710,
in Holland America Line

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oceanmom

oceanmom

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If you want a specific date or time, it is helpful to prebook rather than wait and hope you get the date and time you want. If you cancel before boarding, the credit card you booked the dinner with is credited. If you wait to cancel onboard, your ship account is credited. If you are a 3* or more mariner with the mariner discount, your discount will show up in your ship account as you pay the full price for the dinner if prebooking before boarding. If you cancel the cruise after prebooking and prepaying for the dinner, it will be automatically cancelled and your credit card credited.

 

 

I'm picky about dates and times so we always prebook.

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

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Oceanmom explained it very well.

 

You can certainly cancel on board as long as you give enough notice (24 hours I believe - at least that has always worked for me) and get the credit by way of on board/ship board credit.

 

It seems to depend on the ship, but specialty dining can sell out quickly for prime times (and many others) especially if it is a good specialty dining room. On our last cruise by the second day there were NO reservations available other than 9 pm on the 1st segment. (Prinsendam, small ship, smaller PG but in proportion to the # of passengers).

 

Like oceanmom, we prebook too. For us, the time we want and also, since it's in U.S. $ and we are Cdn, if the rate seems more favourable or the future doesn't look good, I prefer to pay at what I think/hope will be a better exchange rate.

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frankc98376

frankc98376

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We always reserve in advance. Many times we have heard people complain that no reservations are available on board due to Explore 4 promo dinners. One cruise the Manager said they had over 900 Explore 4 dinners to fulfill. Unless you want to take the chance of eating at 4:45 or 9 pm reserve ahead

Edited by frankc98376
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oceanmom

oceanmom

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Only offered on sea days, prebooking not available, never seen it very full, and yes it was worth the $10 pp in my estimation even if just for the peace and quiet. But our last cruise was on the Nieuw Amsterdam and it felt like the Lido was a madhouse at lunchtime--which I've never felt on any other HAL ship.

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

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Does lunch in the Pinnacle Grill book up quickly? Is it offered every day, or only on sea days? Is the experience worth the cost?

 

Generally it is only open on sea days, but on our last cruise (7 day Caribbean out of Tampa) it was open on a couple of port days I seem to recall.

 

It is well worth the money IMO, especially if you qualify for the discounts from being 3,4 or 5 Star Mariners.

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

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Thanks for the replies! I am more concerned that there will be a lot of high starred Mariners using the wonderful perk. I am going to reserve right now.

 

No harm in booking ahead of time (for the dinner). As mentioned, the lunch can only be booked onboard.book

 

We usually book our Pinnacle dinner right after boarding and normally this works, but on some cruises, where alot of people were given free dinners, it can be difficult to find a time that works for us.

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G&G

G&G

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I find pre booking restaurants is totally dependent on length of cruise. I never pre book on cruises longer than 14 days; and I can assure you that if you are on the VoV cruise (35 days), the PG will not be sold out when you board.

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Darlipoo

Darlipoo

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Once many years ago, I forgot to pre book the Pinnacle Grill. When we got on the ship -- no reservations available at any time.

 

 

 

Now I make certain to pre book as soon as the reservations open up.

 

 

 

My TA told me last week that HAL has changed its policy on special restaurant booking. We are getting one night free in pinnacle restaurant and she said when we board ship a card will be in our cabin with night and time of our reservation. If we want to change it we can. She said so many people got on board and could not get Day and time they wanted it created a problem.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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ellieanne

ellieanne

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My TA told me last week that HAL has changed its policy on special restaurant booking. We are getting one night free in pinnacle restaurant and she said when we board ship a card will be in our cabin with night and time of our reservation. If we want to change it we can. She said so many people got on board and could not get Day and time they wanted it created a problem.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Make sure you take the print-out showing you have the free Pinnacle Grill dinner. We had one as part of the Explore 4 package and there was no card in our room upon check-in so we booked reservations at our convenience. We ended up getting charged the full amount for the dinner. It too several visits to the Front Desk and discussions with the Pinnacle Grill manager to get it credited and I think the tipping factor was that I had the paperwork showing it was a perk of our package.

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

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My TA told me last week that HAL has changed its policy on special restaurant booking. We are getting one night free in pinnacle restaurant and she said when we board ship a card will be in our cabin with night and time of our reservation. If we want to change it we can. She said so many people got on board and could not get Day and time they wanted it created a problem.

 

Thats the way it has always been. Be advised, just because your TA said you can change it does not make it so. The Pinnacle Grill has a very limited amount of seating, so once it is full, thats it. I have experienced times when even as a Neptune suite passenger with priority I could not get the date and time we wanted.

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boze9999

boze9999

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I agree with posters who recommend pre-booking to ensure your preferred days and/or times - especially Gala nights (commonly sea days)! Another reason we love pre-booking - our final bill is not so large since we pre-paid prior to boarding!

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