Chef's Table

[shofer]

We are booked on Symphony for next January and have been watching assorted cruise videos which sometime highlight the Chef's Table experience.  DH was very impressed by this and would like to add this to our cruise experience.  This will be our 16th cruise and we thought to add something new to our trip.  How do you sign up for this and what is the cost?  I was always under the impression that this was akin to dining with the Captain and it was an invitation only venue.

Sue

[BirdTravels]

13 minutes ago, shofer said:

We are booked on Symphony for next January and have been watching assorted cruise videos which sometime highlight the Chef's Table experience.  DH was very impressed by this and would like to add this to our cruise experience.  This will be our 16th cruise and we thought to add something new to our trip.  How do you sign up for this and what is the cost?  I was always under the impression that this was akin to dining with the Captain and it was an invitation only venue.

Sue

Book it in your cruise planner.  I just looked at my booking and the cost on our September cruise is $85 pp. 

[Hogbay]

Look in your cruise planner to see if it's available for your cruise. They might be selling on board if they have availability.

[shofer]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Book it in your cruise planner.  I just looked at my booking and the cost on our September cruise is $85 pp. 

I don't see it in the cruise planner.  They do offer a Royal Lunch which is a "traveling" meal as each course is in a different venue.  That is $30/pp.

[Sea Dog]

If you don't see it in the cruise planner it may be sold out. Once you get on board however openings do appear and they are willing to wheel and deal. We never get the Chef's Table before hand and have gotten offers such as 50% off. It's a great experience and I highly recommend it.

[xpcdoojk]

A cautionary tale.  We did the Chef’s table in 2016 on the Anthem out of Bayonne.  it lasted about 5 hours, there was a large NJ/NY family on board the father/boss was an absolute boor.  When the waiters dissappeared he would start pontificating to his “family” and the rest of us who were at the table.  After 3 hours our wives left.  The food was really good there was a lot of wine some of it good.  By the end of the night, (I paid for it By Golly I am going to get my money’s worth) I had decided that if offered the Chef’s table for free, I would turn it down unless I could pick all of my table mates.

 

JMHO and YMMV.... I am sure sometimes when not sailing out of NY you get normal people at the setting.

[AshleyDillo]

i don't recall that Symphony has a Chef's Table.  At least they didn't when I cruised.

[xpcdoojk]

I think it is in Chops, just a separate large table.  Although, I didn’t do Chef’s Table on Symphony, I did eat dinner there, and thought I saw an area set up for Chef’s Table.

[crazyank]

4 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

A cautionary tale.  We did the Chef’s table in 2016 on the Anthem out of Bayonne.  it lasted about 5 hours, there was a large NJ/NY family on board the father/boss was an absolute boor.  When the waiters dissappeared he would start pontificating to his “family” and the rest of us who were at the table.  After 3 hours our wives left.  The food was really good there was a lot of wine some of it good.  By the end of the night, (I paid for it By Golly I am going to get my money’s worth) I had decided that if offered the Chef’s table for free, I would turn it down unless I could pick all of my table mates.

 

JMHO and YMMV.... I am sure sometimes when not sailing out of NY you get normal people at the setting.

totally agree, our one and only experience with Chef's Table was ruined by and elderly pinnacle who seemed to think she was queen of the ship. Showed up 20 minutes late and never shut up the entire evening.

[time4u2go]

Also keep in mind that Royal's Chef's Table is not in the kitchen, as a traditional chef's table is.

[bluebeard39]

13 hours ago, shofer said:

We are booked on Symphony for next January and have been watching assorted cruise videos which sometime highlight the Chef's Table experience.  DH was very impressed by this and would like to add this to our cruise experience.  This will be our 16th cruise and we thought to add something new to our trip.  How do you sign up for this and what is the cost?  I was always under the impression that this was akin to dining with the Captain and it was an invitation only venue.

Sue

If it is available go for it. We have met so many wonderful people and we are still friends from most of our cruises.  Sometimes you will meet people not to your liking but this is with everything in life. 

[WeIsCruisin]

On 6/29/2021 at 6:29 PM, shofer said:

We are booked on Symphony for next January and have been watching assorted cruise videos which sometime highlight the Chef's Table experience.  DH was very impressed by this and would like to add this to our cruise experience.  This will be our 16th cruise and we thought to add something new to our trip.  How do you sign up for this and what is the cost?  I was always under the impression that this was akin to dining with the Captain and it was an invitation only venue.

Sue

Hi there, we are also booked on Symphony for January and are interested in the chefs table. Were you ever able to find a way to book it or confirm the ship is offering it? 

[outtoseacruise]

I would highly recommend the Chef's Table. I did it on Odyssey 2 weeks ago and it was a great experience. There were 8 of us that if it wasn't for the Chef's Table we probably never would have met and become friends. The next night we were able to get a table for 8 at Wonderland for all of us.

[outtoseacruise]

I forgot the bread which was incredible. Each course was perfectly paired with the correct wine.

[cruzinisgood]

I love the Chef's Table. Usually $84 and worth it. I agree I'm not sure Symphony has it on their ship, as it wasn't when we were on it 2019.

[woneill63]

If you would like a fantastic meal at a reasonable price, then Chef's Table would be a good choice.  You can't pick your tablemates, like the MDR, so that would be blind luck.  We were dining at Chef's Table a few years back,  where there four Duke grads who thought they were were the greatest thing on earth and tried to dominate the conversation.  Our end of the table just ignored them until they got the message and kept to themselves.

I have never had a problem getting as much wine as I want,  I just point to my empty glass and it gets refilled.  For comparison, Chef's Table cost 140 per person on Celebrity, plus the wine pairing.

So give it a try.

[xpcdoojk]

4 dookies, OMG.  Go Tar Heels!  😆