Any Discount for Embarkation Night Specialty Dining

[Desert Cruisers]

Taking our first Azamara cruise at end of month.  Just wondering...Other cruise lines including Azamara's sister line Celebrity offer a discount for dining at a specialty restaurant on the first night of a cruise.  Does Azamara do this?

[Covepointcruiser]

No, but the regular charge is only $30, not the high prices you see on Celebrity.   We were in the Specialties almost every night and they were rarely crowded.   You can book a Specialty Package when you board.   They have an Italian and a steak themed specialty restaurant.

[nordski]

1 hour ago, Covepointcruiser said:

No, but the regular charge is only $30, not the high prices you see on Celebrity.   We were in the Specialties almost every night and they were rarely crowded.   You can book a Specialty Package when you board.   They have an Italian and a steak themed specialty restaurant.

 

Generally I think you are quite correct about the Specialties not being crowded.

 

However, on our Sept, 21st cruise Aqualina was "completely booked" when we attempted to make a reservation at about 1:00 p.m. the day we boarded. Based upon a sign posted at the Reservation Desk, it seemed to remain unavailable throughout the cruise.

 

No idea why that was the case, but perhaps it emphasizes that it is good advice to approach the Desk as soon as practicable.

 

 

[Grandma Cruising]

It is a good idea to book ASAP after you’ve boarded. On embarkation day there is usually an extra desk for making reservations as well as the regular desk just inside the main entrance to Windows buffet. On our last cruise in July it was in Spirits bar (the Den on Pursuit).

Although it’s $30pp for the speciality restaurants, you can buy a 3 meal package for $70.

[excitedofharpenden]

Thank goodness there is (not yet at least) any of the special deal shenanigans they have on Celebrity.  With Specialty dining included if you are staying in a suite they are pretty much always well attended. Aside from the dining packages you won’t find any deals.

 

Phil

[uktog]

2 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Thank goodness there is (not yet at least) any of the special deal shenanigans they have on Celebrity.  With Specialty dining included if you are staying in a suite they are pretty much always well attended. Aside from the dining packages you won’t find any deals.

 

Phil

Indeed I find the individual bartering with maitre d and chasing discounts and then finding you didn’t get a great deal so awful on Celebrity. I love Azamara’s standard approach packages offered to all no deals beyond that. So much fairer 

[Literary Lynne]

No discounted deals for first night speciality dining on our Pursuit cruise 12-19 October 19. We booked the three dinner package for $70 each as soon as we boarded around 12noon and had our choice of times and restaurant. Both Aqualina and Prime C dinners were excellent.

 

We did talk to other guests who arrived at 1pm and staying in a suite who said that they were unable to book the times they wanted in the speciality restaurants and we also talked to another couple staying in a suite who were unable to make reservations in either speciality restaurant on several evenings, despite the fact that suite guests are entitled to dine there any evening. Not sure how the system works for suite guests but it didn't seem to be working well for both these couples.

 

Lynne 

[uktog]

That’s unusual. Suite guests should speak directly with the restaurant manager if this happens. The staff at the desk are only allowed to follow what their laptop is offering them. Mind 7 night cruises are always a challenge as most guests want to cram into three nights (they don’t want first or last plus of course there’s two evenings out as well) 

[oddjob16]

8 minutes ago, Literary Lynne said:

No discounted deals for first night speciality dining on our Pursuit cruise 12-19 October 19. We booked the three dinner package for $70 each as soon as we boarded around 12noon and had our choice of times and restaurant. Both Aqualina and Prime C dinners were excellent.

 

We did talk to other guests who arrived at 1pm and staying in a suite who said that they were unable to book the times they wanted in the speciality restaurants and we also talked to another couple staying in a suite who were unable to make reservations in either speciality restaurant on several evenings, despite the fact that suite guests are entitled to dine there any evening. Not sure how the system works for suite guests but it didn't seem to be working well for both these couples.

 

Lynne 

Speciality dining is complementary for suite guests. i.e free of charge. It is a big difference from "entitled to dine any evening". 

Just saying. 

[Literary Lynne]

Ah, thank you for clarifying. I hadn't realised that for suite guests speciality dining is complementary but doesn't mean that they can dine there any time.

[BBMacLaird]

6 hours ago, Literary Lynne said:

Ah, thank you for clarifying. I hadn't realised that for suite guests speciality dining is complementary but doesn't mean that they can dine there any time.

True, all reservations are first come, first serve. But as Uktog points out, our restaurant staff will make great effort to ensure the suite guests do get into the Specialty Restaurants. A bit of flexibility of requested times may be necessary though.