Dining question

[amwdaw]

In Cruise planner under specialty dining reservations there is a three night,four night etc choice. My question is do I have a choice of restaurants and times or are they assigned for me?

[davekathy]

Never mind. Deleted. 

Edited August 8, 2021 by davekathy

[jelayne]

With the packages you can’t make reservations until you are on the ship.You will can choose your restaurants, days and time from those that are available, so being flexible with the days and times is best.  
When you purchase the package you pick a time and day 1 or 2 for your first dinner not the restaurant.  This is mainly to accommodate the booking system and when you board you can go to any of the speciality restaurants and they can change that and make all your reservations for you.

[amwdaw]

Thanks, now I wonder if choosing the three night package is a good thing to do. 

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, amwdaw said:

Thanks, now I wonder if choosing the three night package is a good thing to do. 

We have purchased it a number of times.  We normally don’t dine until 8 or after and really are flexible on night so we only had a problem once.  On the Edge shortly after it started sailing.   We boarded at noon, headed to Fine Cut Steak House and nothing was available  6:30 or after any night.  We went on a waitlist and eventually got a 9:30 reservation.  

[amwdaw]

Thanks again. Not sailing until February on Silhouette so I guess I have some time to think about it.  Not a problem for time but would like choice of restaurants. 

[DCPIV]

If you really want to dine in a particular place at a particular time, then you're better off just making the reservation and paying for it online before the cruise.  You have to be flexible with the packages.  Sometimes, they work out as you like them, but not always.  Essentially, that's the price of the discount.

[Bo1953]

18 hours ago, amwdaw said:

Thanks again. Not sailing until February on Silhouette so I guess I have some time to think about it.  Not a problem for time but would like choice of restaurants. 

Actually, you may not have that much time in reality, as there are limited number of packages available and once sold out, they are sold out.

 

And of course this is also dependent on sailing and ship as well.

 

Then again, you may have the time. There was a posting on another thread recently, concerning the posters in ability to book a dining package and it turned out no more were available and this was for a sailing Spring 2022.

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

[amwdaw]

23 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Actually, you may not have that much time in reality, as there are limited number of packages available and once sold out, they are sold out.

 

And of course this is also dependent on sailing and ship as well.

 

Then again, you may have the time. There was a posting on another thread recently, concerning the posters in ability to book a dining package and it turned out no more were available and this was for a sailing Spring 2022.

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

[amwdaw]

Thanks for all the help everyone. A lot to” digest” and decide what is best for us. 

[zitsky]

You might see some of the restaurants with "1st night discount" that you can book online.  Has anyone purchased a dining package on the ship?  

[jg51]

4 hours ago, zitsky said:

You might see some of the restaurants with "1st night discount" that you can book online.  Has anyone purchased a dining package on the ship?  

.

Yes, "zitsky" -- multiple times. 

They have always been available at a table, near Guest Relations, on Embarkation Day (at least on Silhouette, Reflection, Equinox, Solstice, and Summit).

 

We have never believed the claim that there are only a "limited number of packages available."  We think that such a claim is just another falsehood, like the kind of fib that so many merchants use to sell to fearful suckers ("This is for a limited time only!" and the like).

.

Edited August 9, 2021 by jg51

[Mr. Click]

It is all supply and demand.  We have found on may trips that some good, deep discounts were being offered and we took advantage of them.  The one time we tried the 3 day package they were giving out a lot of OBC to everyone and when we board we went right to restaurant to book our three nights only to be told anything we wanted was not available.  I talked to customer service about it, I talked to the Captains Club rep about it.  We ended up just canceling the package for a refund and used the OBC on other stuff.  The Captains Club rep did get us one night in Murano that worked for us and that was comped so at least she did something.  As a disclosure, food allergies do create some issues for and make things like La Pettite Chef, Sushi on 5 and the lawn restaurant that features seafood all non-starters but still I did expect to be able to book some things. Northing was working so I won't try it again, if we ever go back to cruising.

[amwdaw]

I’m afraid that would happen to us.  Would like to try a few speciality restaurants but may try and book them thru the retreat concierge. Is that possible? In a Sky suite.🤨

 

 

 

[FLCruiser97]

So, let me get this straight...if you book a multi night dining package online, you cannot book what night or time you want as that is done onboard? But if you book the regular a la carte, per se, then you can book what night and time? We have a celebration on one of the nights and if I want to be safe and get the night I want, then I have to book the single dining night. Is this correct?

[NutsAboutGolf]

Truth be told, if you're flexible on the days it shouldn't be a problem, was on the Edge on 7/24, was able to be added to both Eden and Le Petite by simply going to the host stands.  People change/cancel their reservations all the time.

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, FLCruiser97 said:

So, let me get this straight...if you book a multi night dining package online, you cannot book what night or time you want as that is done onboard? But if you book the regular a la carte, per se, then you can book what night and time? We have a celebration on one of the nights and if I want to be safe and get the night I want, then I have to book the single dining night. Is this correct?

You are correct.  If you want a specific restaurant on a specific date’  at or near your preferred time you are best to book a single night at regular price.  Some restaurants are very popular.  S class Murano is heavily booked most nights. E Class - Fine Cut Steak House.  M Class only has Tuscan & Le Petit Cbef.

[FLCruiser97]

10 minutes ago, jelayne said:

You are correct.  If you want a specific restaurant on a specific date’  at or near your preferred time you are best to book a single night at regular price.  Some restaurants are very popular.  S class Murano is heavily booked most nights. E Class - Fine Cut Steak House.  M Class only has Tuscan & Le Petit Cbef.

Thanks Got it.

[Bo1953]

4 hours ago, jg51 said:

.

Yes, "zitsky" -- multiple times. 

They have always been available at a table, near Guest Relations, on Embarkation Day (at least on Silhouette, Reflection, Equinox, Solstice, and Summit).

 

We have never believed the claim that there are only a "limited number of packages available."  We think that such a claim is just another falsehood, like the kind of fib that so many merchants use to sell to fearful suckers ("This is for a limited time only!" and the like).

.

That is great, yet can you tell us how many times you have tried to book a dining packages before sailing and could not due to pre-sailing "limits" and were able to either just before sailing or after boarding?

 

A few hungry minds would love to know.

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

 

[keesar]

2 hours ago, FLCruiser97 said:

So, let me get this straight...if you book a multi night dining package online, you cannot book what night or time you want as that is done onboard? But if you book the regular a la carte, per se, then you can book what night and time? We have a celebration on one of the nights and if I want to be safe and get the night I want, then I have to book the single dining night. Is this correct?

 

Most nights will be available but at what time?  That may be an important consideration.  So if you want a 7 pm dining on a particular date, then book in advance.  

[cangelmd]

2 hours ago, FLCruiser97 said:

So, let me get this straight...if you book a multi night dining package online, you cannot book what night or time you want as that is done onboard? But if you book the regular a la carte, per se, then you can book what night and time? We have a celebration on one of the nights and if I want to be safe and get the night I want, then I have to book the single dining night. Is this correct?

Yeah that’s about the size of it. To get a very specific date and especially time, best to book ahead. We sailed over Valentines 2020, made the valentines reservation about 5 months on advance

[Treasure Hunter]

We’ve never taken the package. Too many strings attached. We book early what we want at what time. However, during 12-14 day cruises we have often been approached with discount offers later in the cruise to dine at the specialty restaurants .. we have usually taken them up on it if it’s a good deal.

[Bo1953]

While I have never paid attention to dining packages and their cost, can any one schedule out if waiting till boarding to make reservations and those discounts offered and not the outrageous passenger holdouts for rock bottom pricing, compare to the packages?

 

Is the cost difference significant vs just getting that discount and gambling on the time slots available are what you desire?

 

I do realize that each of us has our individual value points.

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

Edited August 10, 2021 by Bo1953

[zitsky]

I remember it was something like a 20% discount.  I already booked a first night specialty restaurant with a discount.  (TG)  I have Blu so I don't want a 3 night package.  Just a discount on something like Tuscan Grill or Sushi on 5.

[dazey]

Generally we do the 3night package for $137 but this time for our November cruise I just went online and booked exactly what we wanted(location and time) and it cost each of us another $18 which I thought was worth not having to worry about what I might be able to arrange and having to rush to make the reservations once onboard. I also reserved our times in the several dining rooms for each of the remaining nights.  It is very easy to change is ones plans change.

 

I have done both but I guess I am older now and do not want to do any extra work!

 

Both ways will work.