We can book specialty restaurants, but friends have to wait

[dcsam]

Our upcoming specialty restaurant booking day is fast approaching, but our friends (2 other couples) will need to wait another 30

days.  We can book 2 times at each specialty and they can book 1. We’d all like to dine together at the specialties - maybe just once or twice. Should we go ahead and book our 4 reservation slots and see if we can add our friends once aboard or will we be able to coordinate all that when their booking time slot opens up?

[AMHuntFerry]

44 minutes ago, dcsam said:

Our upcoming specialty restaurant booking day is fast approaching, but our friends (2 other couples) will need to wait another 30

days.  We can book 2 times at each specialty and they can book 1. We’d all like to dine together at the specialties - maybe just once or twice. Should we go ahead and book our 4 reservation slots and see if we can add our friends once aboard or will we be able to coordinate all that when their booking time slot opens up?

Get your friends' booking number and you can book their specialty reservations along with yours (1 of your 2 in each restaurant). It's one of the perks of having friends in high places.

Edited March 29, 2023 by AMHuntFerry

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, dcsam said:

Our upcoming specialty restaurant booking day is fast approaching, but our friends (2 other couples) will need to wait another 30

days.  We can book 2 times at each specialty and they can book 1. We’d all like to dine together at the specialties - maybe just once or twice. Should we go ahead and book our 4 reservation slots and see if we can add our friends once aboard or will we be able to coordinate all that when their booking time slot opens up?

Yes book your slots  then when their time come call & ask to seated together

for extra reservations  ask at the  reservations desk on deck 5  & see if they can accommodate you & your friends

If not maybe just  eat together in the GDR

[shepherd really]

10 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Yes book your slots  then when their time come call & ask to seated together

for extra reservations  ask at the  reservations desk on deck 5  & see if they can accommodate you & your friends

If not maybe just  eat together in the GDR

That's poor advice, they can add them when they book their own reservations.  The friends just need to be paid in full and provide them with their cruise reservation number

[tgg]

13 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

Get your friends' booking number and you can book their specialty reservations along with yours (1 of your 2 in each restaurant). It's one of the perks of having friends in high places.

This is exactly how it works. Don't be persuaded otherwise. 

[mauibabes]

Ditto tgg and Shepherd, absolutely correct. Most often we book a PH and we book all of our traveling friends Specialty reservations since most are in Veranda staterooms.  My 15 day earlier booking window helps everyone get the times and restaurants and dates we want before the rest of the ship books weeks later.  Once on board, we are able to use our Butler to get reservations for the group as well. If in a Concierge Veranda, you can use your Concierge to book your reservations OR you can go stand in line at the Reservation Desk down on Deck 5 and try to get a reservation. 
Just enjoy your cruise.

Mauibabes

 

[LHT28]

Well I for one wish they would revert back to the old days  when pax in the upper cabins  could not book people from the lower  45 day window cabins with their  time slot

 Us that do not book higher cat  or  have friends in high place  will struggle to get  a seating in the specialties  at a time we prefer

This is probably why many have to  eat at 9pm

[maggie.1008]

We are on the Regatta in May in a regular balcony cabin. All I could get was 9 pm every night.

[LHT28]

2 minutes ago, maggie.1008 said:

We are on the Regatta in May in a regular balcony cabin. All I could get was 9 pm every night.

Keep checking   & once onboard go the dinner reservations desk  deck 5 to see if any earlier slots are available

[shepherd really]

4 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Well I for one wish they would revert back to the old days  when pax in the upper cabins  could not book people from the lower  45 day window cabins with their  time slot

 Us that do not book higher cat  or  have friends in high place  will struggle to get  a seating in the specialties  at a time we prefer

This is probably why many have to  eat at 9pm

Two solutions actually come to mind:

1.  Book a PH pr above

2. get better friends.

 

But this isn't a problem for anyone who doesn't cruise.

[osandomir]

3 hours ago, shepherd really said:

Two solutions actually come to mind:

1.  Book a PH pr above

2. get better friends.

 

But this isn't a problem for anyone who doesn't cruise.

Don’t believe that your sarcasm is necessary. No need to comment on every post.

[FeliciaLee]

20 hours ago, maggie.1008 said:

We are on the Regatta in May in a regular balcony cabin. All I could get was 9 pm every night.

Maggie, we were on another cruise when our date opened for reserving restaurants and then forgot all about it. Well, we were able to get 6:30, but only if we shared a table. If that is an option for you, maybe try that route? Fingers crossed for you!

[schmerl]

Yes, it is easier to get a reservation at a better time if you are willing to share a table. 

[shepherd really]

20 hours ago, osandomir said:

No need to comment on every post.

Such excellent advice for everyone.

[maggie.1008]

Yes, we decided to book a shared table and will hope for delightful new friends.

[osandomir]

33 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

Such excellent advice for everyone.

I meant negative comments.

[shepherd really]

3 hours ago, osandomir said:

I meant negative comments.

Agreed, I took yours as such. 

[OhState1]

For the sailing regulars here, what times are in most demand?  We will have a party of 6 for the specialty restaurants. One of our group tends to have meltdowns if he isn’t in bed early (maybe he’ll be better behaved with others, but when it is just family, not so much).  We were hoping to secure 6:30 slots to ensure smooth sailing, so to speak. Would a group table work?  Maybe we can induce him to take a nap….

[LHT28]

15 minutes ago, OhState1 said:

For the sailing regulars here, what times are in most demand?  We will have a party of 6 for the specialty restaurants. One of our group tends to have meltdowns if he isn’t in bed early (maybe he’ll be better behaved with others, but when it is just family, not so much).  We were hoping to secure 6:30 slots to ensure smooth sailing, so to speak. Would a group table work?  Maybe we can induce him to take a nap….

Try  for the 6:30 slot   you never know what time others  will book

 We like 2 tops  but the sharing tables  have more space available

 A nap would be a good plan 😉

 

[AMHuntFerry]

3 hours ago, OhState1 said:

For the sailing regulars here, what times are in most demand?  We will have a party of 6 for the specialty restaurants. One of our group tends to have meltdowns if he isn’t in bed early (maybe he’ll be better behaved with others, but when it is just family, not so much).  We were hoping to secure 6:30 slots to ensure smooth sailing, so to speak. Would a group table work?  Maybe we can induce him to take a nap….

If you are in B-G cabins you probably want a back-up plan just in case. Last fall I was on a short 7-day cruise that was pretty full, got my reservation date wrong so was 24 hours "late"; the only tables left were shared with 7:30 pm (2 nights) or 8-9 pm for the rest of the nights. With 10 days it might be better, especially if you get on right when reservations open. Also, Europeans tend to prefer later dining so I'll cross my fingers that they are a large percentage on your cruise.

[OhState1]

When we toured Ireland (non-cruise) we would eat fairly early, then my husband would take his dad back to the hotel while I stayed out with my MIL for the craic.  My husband would return to join us.  May have to implement that strategy again, but maybe he’s a difficult person at sea.  I’m personally highly intrigued by the surf and turf sandwich at the TC, but swap out the turf for bacon to make a lobster BLT.  

[schmerl]

4 minutes ago, OhState1 said:

When we toured Ireland (non-cruise) we would eat fairly early, then my husband would take his dad back to the hotel while I stayed out with my MIL for the craic.  My husband would return to join us.  May have to implement that strategy again, but maybe he’s a difficult person at sea.  I’m personally highly intrigued by the surf and turf sandwich at the TC, but swap out the turf for bacon to make a lobster BLT.  

 

The surf and turf sandwich is at Waves, not the TC.

[AMHuntFerry]

6 minutes ago, OhState1 said:

When we toured Ireland (non-cruise) we would eat fairly early, then my husband would take his dad back to the hotel while I stayed out with my MIL for the craic.  My husband would return to join us.  May have to implement that strategy again, but maybe he’s a difficult person at sea.  I’m personally highly intrigued by the surf and turf sandwich at the TC, but swap out the turf for bacon to make a lobster BLT.  

Another alternative...go to Terrace together early; and I believe Riviera has pizza for dinner in the Waves area now. Dad can have his meal, while you have light appetizers before a late specialty dinner. We did this when there was a "mussels" special in Terrace (I adore mussels!) on one of our 8 pm specialty nights and it worked well.

[LHT28]

38 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

If you are in B-G cabins you probably want a back-up plan just in case. Last fall I was on a short 7-day cruise that was pretty full, got my reservation date wrong so was 24 hours "late"; the only tables left were shared with 7:30 pm (2 nights) or 8-9 pm for the rest of the nights. With 10 days it might be better, especially if you get on right when reservations open. Also, Europeans tend to prefer later dining so I'll cross my fingers that they are a large percentage on your cruise.

On 7 day cruises it is  a problem getting your GTY  specialty  reservations

even more so if they allow the  people in the higher categories to book others in with the early reservations 😞

[AMHuntFerry]

3 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

On 7 day cruises it is  a problem getting your GTY  specialty  reservations

even more so if they allow the  people in the higher categories to book others in with the early reservations 😞

...and we were on the 2nd of two CA coastal sailings where a large number of people did both sailings and were able to book before us even if they were in a G 😮 ...learned my lesson, although if eating at 8 pm means I get to eat with a more international crowd, maybe I can learn to like it even if my waistline doesn't.