First Night Dining All Booked Up?

[M5M]

Just off the phone with X Customer Enhancement person. Our sailing is Feb 22 on Equinox. I had tried to purchase/book the first night dining special, and the only times shown online are 9,9:30, 10 PM.  So I called to see if "Customer Enhancements" would find an earlier time.  Nope.  Not even "gosh, I'm so sorry, but all the times are booked, ". Just "NO".  Same for Tuscan.  Is this likely?  Wondering about booking the 9 PM and trying to switch to an earlier time.  5:30 would be better than 9, IMO.  

Edited December 14, 2019 by Magar
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[Jim_Iain]

I would go ahead and book the late dining and see if you can change to an earlier time once on-board.    My understanding is they hold back some reservations and there may also be cancellations.    Good chance especially for a 5:30 time slot.

[Georgia_Peaches]

I was told there was no dining available on our Silhouette cruise on embarkation day over Thanksgiving.  On embarkation day we went directly to the restaurant we wanted and asked them for availability.  We got a table for 2 at 8:30 pm, no problem.  I recommend you do as Jim_Lain recommended and try in person once on board.  Plans change and things open up all the time.

[miched]

We were on the Equinox in Oct and went to Murano the first night using the discount.  The place was basically SRO.   
 

The experience, food and service was not as god as what it was on prior cruises, or ships.

 

Our server wasn’t very  accommodating  and we felt as if we had to ask for everything.   We were served with the bread and was never offered more,  we had to request it and t

got the response of you want more?

Never offered ground pepper from the pepper mill.

 

The server wanted us to order desert when he took order.  After having our entree we were served the desert by an assistant.   We seen our main server and called to him asking about the cheese cart.  Same response as before,  didn’t know that you wanted the cheese cart.    it was never offered.   Other times after having our entree it was automatic.   When serving the cheese he seemed to be put out that we wanted it and that we wanted a variety and not just pick one and only one.  

 

The assistant walked away as soon as he put it on our table.   Never asked if we wanted anything to drink.  
 

My wife thinks it is because we were there on a discounted rate.  I think it is because it was so crowded and our server was giving more attention to a table of 6.  
 

hopefully your experience will be better if you book that restaurant for the first night.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[keesar]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I would go ahead and book the late dining and see if you can change to an earlier time once on-board.    My understanding is they hold back some reservations and there may also be cancellations.    Good chance especially for a 5:30 time slot.

 

The restaurant does not open until 6 pm.  No 5:30 reservation on Equinox.

[NantahalaCruiser]

16 minutes ago, keesar said:

 

The restaurant does not open until 6 pm.  No 5:30 reservation on Equinox.

On the Reflection in September, the Cruise Planner only showed 6pm for all specialty restaurants, but once on board, we found that they were also booking 5:30pm

[keesar]

50 minutes ago, NantahalaCruiser said:

On the Reflection in September, the Cruise Planner only showed 6pm for all specialty restaurants, but once on board, we found that they were also booking 5:30pm

 

On the first night on Equinox and Solstice, we booked for 6 pm and that is when the doors were opened for diners.  I am not sure what time they opened on other nights.  

[ozark74]

Last year we did first night in Murano with friends. It was terrible. The food was good it was SRO. It was so loud, waiters had trouble getting to the tables. Went back later in the cruise and it was perfect. Learned never go to Murano on night one.

[TommyD3]

3 hours ago, keesar said:

 

The restaurant does not open until 6 pm.  No 5:30 reservation on Equinox.

We just got off Equinox a week ago and yes Murano opens at 5:30 now.

[keesar]

18 hours ago, Magar said:

Just off the phone with X Customer Enhancement person. Our sailing is Feb 22 on Equinox. I had tried to purchase/book the first night dining special, and the only times shown online are 9,9:30, 10 PM.  So I called to see if "Customer Enhancements" would find an earlier time.  Nope.  Not even "gosh, I'm so sorry, but all the times are booked, ". Just "NO".  Same for Tuscan.  Is this likely?  Wondering about booking the 9 PM and trying to switch to an earlier time.  5:30 would be better than 9, IMO.  

 

You can get discounts for other nights once on board.  For instance, when we docked in Puerto Rico, we could get Tuscan Grill for $25 per person.  When we are dining in the MDR, we like to meet our table mates the first night.