Ultimate Balcony Dinner

[jajsmom]

I know I've seen people post what is included with this, but a search has not given me results.  Can someone please post what is included?

Also, we are waiting to book this when we embark, to use OBC.  Can you please tell me where you book this?

And finally, our cruise is 7 nights, but people can book the cruise as part of a 14 day or 21 day cruise too.  Will people who have been on board for 2 weeks already have been able to book this for the week we re on board?  Not sure how difficult it is to book, or how popular it is.

Thanks!

[donaldsc]

Do a search on Google.   

 

DON

[JimmyVWine]

Here is a thread from a few months ago.  I don't know the answer to your question about booking and availability. It is bookable in advance through Gifts and Services, so I imagine lots of people do it that way.  Not sure what the availability is if you wait to book on board.

 

 

 

[reedprincess]

35 minutes ago, jajsmom said:

I know I've seen people post what is included with this, but a search has not given me results.  Can someone please post what is included?

Also, we are waiting to book this when we embark, to use OBC.  Can you please tell me where you book this?

And finally, our cruise is 7 nights, but people can book the cruise as part of a 14 day or 21 day cruise too.  Will people who have been on board for 2 weeks already have been able to book this for the week we re on board?  Not sure how difficult it is to book, or how popular it is.

Thanks!

You can book in advance - and pay at time of booking - which I recommend if you want a specific date or at least to ensure you can do it. They only do 2-4 a night due to how labor intensive it is, so book early. Cruise personalizer in advance or immediately upon boarding wirh DINE line  

 

4 course, half bottle champagne and welcome cocktail of choice 

Crab cake

Pear and walnut Salad

Filet mignon and lobster tail (or one or other)

Chocolate raspberry dessert 

 

There's also bread basket, mini apps beforehand and Petit fours at end..

 

Plus photographer comes beforehand to do photos, one of which you get to keep, additional at $10. Plus flower arrangement, that's yours to keep 

 

They will modify, within reason, if needed/requested. For instance, we both order Ribeyes instead of filet and lobster.  We did the black and blue onion soup instead of crab cakes once. They'll work with allergies also as needed  

 

It's a ton of food, the service is wonderful, well worth it, IMO.  

Enjoy 

 

 

[jajsmom]

Thank you JimmyVWine.  That is exactly the post I remember reading, but I couldn't find it through the search.

 

Thank you reedprincess.  I'm so hungry now--unfortunately, that is not what I will be having for dinner tonight.

[XBGuy]

I am one of the UBD's biggest cheerleaders.  So, I am happy to jump in, here.

 

If you have a particular date in mind, and it is important that your event be on that date, by all means book it through the cruise personalizer and pay up front.  For example we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary with a UBD on the Ruby Princess, and we wanted to do it on THE day.

 

If you are not particularly fussy about what day you do it, then call the DINE line when you arrive at your cabin on embarkation day.  The odds are that they will be able to accommodate you, but, as in the above case. there are times when I want a sure thing.  For what it's worth, a Room Service Manager once told me that most of the UBDs are served on port days.  People enjoy dining on their balcony while in a calm port.  That means, of course, that there is more opportunity of getting a reservation on a sea day.  Also, my observation here on Cruise Critic is that many people want to make sure that they don't miss whatever specials are being served in the dining rooms on formal nights.  So, there might be more openings on formal nights.  Another quick story.  The first time we enjoyed the UBD it happened to be on a formal night.  We figured what the heck, and decided to wear our nice clothes.  When the server arrived and saw us she was completely thrilled that we were dressed up.  I honestly believe that we received extra attention, that night.

[peety3]

Cocktail per person, half-bottle of wine or something like that. Petit fours to start, salad, appetizer, main course (steak, lobster, or combo), dessert (that's only offered during UBD). We've done it three times: August 2015 in a starboard mini-suite leaving Skagway, February 2017 in an aft-facing penthouse suite (with my parents) leaving Mazatlan, and September 2017 in a starboard mini-suite leaving Skagway. Interestingly, that month of difference (plus/minus normal weather fluctuations) meant that we did that last UBD from inside because of the cold/wind. Something to consider...

 

If you want to drool, here are photos from two of our UBDs:

UBD leaving Mazatlan Feb 2017 (arrow-right to scroll through)

UBD leaving Skagway Aug 2015 after a fantastic private photo tour in Skagway

[alrichards4003]

Yes, at $100 we thought it was well worth it and have booked again for our upcoming Alaska cruise. It was too windy when we did it on our New England cruise so they moved everything inside. The manager came to our room before disembarkation and planned it out, cocktails, entrees etc. The fresh flowers were nice and we had petit fours for later.

 

 

[alrichards4003]

[Debbdo]

Glad I ate dinner before looking at this tread. Those pictures are amazing! Thank you for posting. May have to do this on our September cruise!

[jajsmom]

Thanks for those great pictures Peety3 and alrichards4003!  It looks wonderful.

 

XBGuy, thank you for this, as well as your thread from February which was so informative.  We're not big fans of main dining room food, so this looks great.  We were thinking of doing this on a formal night, so it sounds like our chances of getting the day we want may be improved.  We'll be in the Mediterranean, so the port days are intensive.  Plus less formal wear to take as we are trying to pack minimally this year.

[Colo Cruiser]

It's a must do at least once.  😎

[OzKiwiJJ]

It's wonderful but the portion sizes are huge so pace yourself.

[hm9912]

Ours was a gift but we felt it was well worth the money

This dinner as well as the Chef's Table was outstanding.

 

Howard

 

 

 

[geoherb]

You can also trade in the half bottle of champagne for a full bottle of wine. The UBD is our go-to celebration for special occasions on board now. Here are some photos from our last one on the Regal Princess. We made several small changes to the menu: no pear on my salad (in the photo--and not walnuts on DH's), broccoli instead of asparagus with our main courses, 
and a change from the regular dessert offered. We asked for flourless chocolate cake. The waiters told us that it wasn't available when they were setting up and asked what we'd like instead from that night's regular menu. We chose souffles. They also brought DH a birthday cake. And then they found they did have flourless chocolate cake available. We saved that to eat the next day.