Specialty Restaurant Reservations In Advance

[Igggy]

We're on the Enchanted in February. Where can I go to book. I've looked everywhere.

Thanks in advance.

[JimmyVWine]

Using the app, go to “Dine My Way.”  

[gottagocit]

We found when trying to book specialty restaurants in advance of our recent cruise on the Emerald that we had to prepay in full for the reservations even though we had lost of OBC. We opted to wait until boarding day then it was charged to our onboard account (OBC).  
 

It may not be a huge deal for you but is something to be aware of. 

[Proudwings]

15 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Using the app, go to “Dine My Way.”  

We have a cruise in 80 days and have paid in full. I was able to get MDR reservations but in "Dine My Way" when I now click on Dining Options (to see Speciality Availability) it says check back closer to the journey date.  I know people are able to reserve SD earlier than this. Do you need to be Elite to make bookings this far out (I'm platinum).

[t&atravel]

3 minutes ago, Proudwings said:

I now click on Dining Options

Do not click on dining options.  That only works when onboard.  Click on “view or book individual daily reservations”. Select a day, then select add reservation, travel companions, then the specialty restaurant you want to reserve.

[Proudwings]

Thanks so much for the information.

[memoak]

I have been on 4 cruises since the restart and have never had an issue getting reservations for specialty dining once I got on board. Most nights Sabatini’s was only maybe 2/3 full at most. Note we tend to eat around 7:30

[JimmyVWine]

5 minutes ago, memoak said:

I have been on 4 cruises since the restart and have never had an issue getting reservations for specialty dining once I got on board. Most nights Sabatini’s was only maybe 2/3 full at most. Note we tend to eat around 7:30

This was what we saw on Regal in the first week of May, although I would say 1/2 full and not 2/3.  I tried to change a reservation before the cruise and Sabatini's was showing "no availability".  On boarding day I went to the restaurant and the hostess took out her iPad and said that I could change my reservation to whatever I wanted.  Seemed wide open.  On the night we dined there, all of the tables at or near the windows were used, but the entire middle of the restaurant and all the tables near the entrance were empty. We dined between 7:10 and 8:45.

[JimmyVWine]

10 minutes ago, Proudwings said:

Thanks so much for the information.

Post #5 said what I was going to say.  As a Platinum, you should be able to book as soon as you make your reservation and need not wait until final payment.

[voljeep]

7 minutes ago, memoak said:

I have been on 4 cruises since the restart and have never had an issue getting reservations for specialty dining once I got on board. Most nights Sabatini’s was only maybe 2/3 full at most. Note we tend to eat around 7:30

having status, casino booked cruises and sailing in a suite? - I'm sure they can always find a table.

 

for us poor shmoos with only 15+ cruises in a balcony ... not so much - like our last cruise ...

[memoak]

The fact is that the venues are almost never full after 7pm.  They also do not book every table on the app. They always leave some open. I have been cruising with Princess since 1992 in everything from insides to suites and have always been able to get into specialty restaurants and have never booked until on board and usually several days into the cruise

[memoak]

2 hours ago, voljeep said:

having status, casino booked cruises and sailing in a suite? - I'm sure they can always find a table.

 

for us poor shmoos with only 15+ cruises in a balcony ... not so much - like our last cruise ...

Go to Sabatini’s almost every night and see how full they are. I will bet most nights there are several to many empty tables

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

This was what we saw on Regal in the first week of May, although I would say 1/2 full and not 2/3.  I tried to change a reservation before the cruise and Sabatini's was showing "no availability".  On boarding day I went to the restaurant and the hostess took out her iPad and said that I could change my reservation to whatever I wanted.  Seemed wide open.  On the night we dined there, all of the tables at or near the windows were used, but the entire middle of the restaurant and all the tables near the entrance were empty. We dined between 7:10 and 8:45.

I am wondering if PCL is losing revenue due to DMW seemingly having no SD space and so some  guests just give up and don't even try on board.

[voljeep]

11 minutes ago, memoak said:

Go to Sabatini’s almost every night and see how full they are. I will bet most nights there are several to many empty tables

empty tables does not equate to availability to be immediately seated.  Maybe they are holding those tables for suites and casino comped cruisers who have reservations

 

 

[basor]

We are a party of 6 so made specialty dining reservations and planning on canceling and rebooking once onboard to use OBC......

[JimmyVWine]

39 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I am wondering if PCL is losing revenue due to DMW seemingly having no SD space and so some  guests just give up and don't even try on board.

We commented to each other while on board that the revenue derived from SD venues would be a very easy metric to track and for sure they are not maximizing that revenue.  For example, the Ocean Terrace Seafood Bar is a complete fail as over the entire 8 day cruise we saw perhaps a half dozen people using that space for its intended purpose of sales.  We noted that they could do just as well by moving the sushi chef up to the Horizon Court and placing him at one of the stations up there and repurposing that space on Deck 7 toward something that might actually make money with lower overhead.  And neither Sabatini's nor the Crown Grill were operating at even close to capacity. I'm not sure what the solution is, but it certainly isn't what they are doing now.  Maybe the higher prices have put them in the slot of diminishing returns.  Better to fill up at $25 than to be half full at $35.

Edited May 16, 2023 by JimmyVWine

[Steelers36]

1 minute ago, JimmyVWine said:

We commented to each other while on board that the revenue derived from SD venues would be a very easy metric to track and for sure they are not maximizing that revenue.  For example, the Ocean Terrace Seafood Bar is a complete fail as over the entire 8 day cruise we saw perhaps a half dozen people using that space for its intended purpose of sales.  We noted that they could do just as well by moving the sushi chef up to the Horizon Court and placing him at one of the stations up there are repurposing that space on Deck 7 toward something that might actually make money had have lower overhead.  And neither Sabatini's nor the Crown Grill were operating at even close to capacity. I'm not sure what the solution is, but it certainly isn't what they are doing now.  Maybe the higher prices have put them in the slot of diminishing returns.  Better to fill up at $25 than to be half full at $35.

Agree x each of your sentences.