Dinner Package "Booking onboard" question

[jencruzin]

We booked the 5 night dinner package. If I remember correctly, we booked our specialty dinners soon as we boarded, and went to the venues directly rather than go to the front desk (very busy there).

 

What is the standard, more simple/commonly used method to booking the dinner reservations?

[European_CruiseGirl]

Go to one restaurant and let them book all the restaurants for you. 
 

Or go to the app once you are on the ship’s wifi and book them yourself. 

[taglovestocruise]

2 hours ago, jencruzin said:

We booked the 5 night dinner package. If I remember correctly, we booked our specialty dinners soon as we boarded, and went to the venues directly rather than go to the front desk (very busy there).

 

What is the standard, more simple/commonly used method to booking the dinner reservations?

On your ship Wonderland or Izumi would be our choice for making all your reservations as soon as boarding. Everyone making reservations seems to line up at Chop's or the Kiosk, last cruise on Ovation there were a dozen or so waiting at Chop's to make reservations, we walked past to Izumi where the was no line at all and the hostess at Wonderland was just standing by herself. 

[jencruzin]

42 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

On your ship Wonderland or Izumi would be our choice for making all your reservations as soon as boarding. Everyone making reservations seems to line up at Chop's or the Kiosk, last cruise on Ovation there were a dozen or so waiting at Chop's to make reservations, we walked past to Izumi where the was no line at all and the hostess at Wonderland was just standing by herself. 

Cool, so at Izumi's, they'll book the 5 dinner evenings for us at different restaurants?

[Merion_Mom]

10 minutes ago, jencruzin said:

Cool, so at Izumi's, they'll book the 5 dinner evenings for us at different restaurants?

Yes.  They all have access to the same reservation system on their computers.  🙂 

[nelblu]

4 hours ago, European_CruiseGirl said:

Go to one restaurant and let them book all the restaurants for you. 
 

Or go to the app once you are on the ship’s wifi and book them yourself. 

Go to any SR as soon as you board. 

[crewsweeper]

If you're on early enough, the kiosk may only have 1 or 2 people in front of you.  But as Izumi's tends to be popular for both lunch and dinner. it's a good idea to head there so you can book them first then the others. And do book lunch, either Hibachi or Sushi.

 

Adding: A good tip is to have your first and second choices of restaurants and time written down in advance.  Makes it easier for person booking to make your preferred days and times.

Edited May 2, 2023 by crewsweeper

[BobNoxious]

I heard that you can only book Hibachi at Izumi at Izumi and no other restaurant would book that for you.   I have a package and want Izumi Hibachi, so I guess i will have to line up there to make all my ressies versus any other restaurant with no line.

[ARandomTraveler]

29 minutes ago, BobNoxious said:

I heard that you can only book Hibachi at Izumi at Izumi and no other restaurant would book that for you.   I have a package and want Izumi Hibachi, so I guess i will have to line up there to make all my ressies versus any other restaurant with no line.

It'll probably be fully booked and unavailable anyway so it doesn't matter where you go, you're unlikely to be able to book it. 

[PWP-001]

So far this year I've had no problem booking on Oasis, Symphony, Odyssey, for the six cruises I've taken on these ships.  Key is booking as soon as you get on board.

[George C]

If in a full suite you can have concierge do it ahead of time , if not just book at any restaurant as soon as you board. 

[slyster]

On 5/3/2023 at 4:23 PM, ARandomTraveler said:

It'll probably be fully booked and unavailable anyway so it doesn't matter where you go, you're unlikely to be able to book it. 

Is that most people's experience?  My goal is to book it to izmus to make a reservation for hibachi as soon as we board.  Is it usually already booked by the time you get on board?  

 

I see it in my cruise planner but i was planning to use it as part of my 3 night dining package

Edited May 4, 2023 by slyster

[ARandomTraveler]

4 hours ago, slyster said:

Is that most people's experience?  My goal is to book it to izmus to make a reservation for hibachi as soon as we board.  Is it usually already booked by the time you get on board?  

 

I see it in my cruise planner but i was planning to use it as part of my 3 night dining package

There are a lot of reports of people being unable to book the hibachi if you get onboard after 11am. 
 

I'd read that before my last cruise, so I paid out of pocket to book the hibachi, even though I had the dining package, and was glad I did because I boarded at 11am, and the hibachi was completely booked the whole week. 
 

I'm sure there are sailings where that isn't the case, but it seems to happen a lot. 

[slyster]

7 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

There are a lot of reports of people being unable to book the hibachi if you get onboard after 11am. 
 

I'd read that before my last cruise, so I paid out of pocket to book the hibachi, even though I had the dining package, and was glad I did because I boarded at 11am, and the hibachi was completely booked the whole week. 
 

I'm sure there are sailings where that isn't the case, but it seems to happen a lot. 

thank you. I think I will do that.