Restaurant seating

[Sunday golf]

Thinking of booking our first Saga Cruise. Can you easily get tables for two in the main restaurant or in the speciality restaurants  or do you tend to be asked to join another couple. Also are there generally two sittings ?

[LondonLad60]

The main dining room operates a single open sitting, from 18:30 to 21:00. Just turn up whenever you like.  You are asked if you would like to share, but my wife and I always ask for a table for two, and in 6 Saga cruises we have only had to wait for a table for two once, and even then it was only for about ten minutes. Be aware, some of the tables for two are so close together they may as well be tables for four! We have occasionally been shown to tables like this in the past, so we have politely asked for another table, and this request has never been refused.

 

When you book the speciality restaurants, just say you want a table for two. We always do this, and have never been asked if we wish to share.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited June 25, 2023 by LondonLad60

[sleepingcat]

We quite like meeting different people on different evenings.  That said, on our last cruise we met more than one couple who had asked for and were given the same table for two every evening for the whole cruise. WE ve also got ourselves seated at a table for 2, then been spotted by people we had previously shared with and moved to their table to be sociable and sit with them, thus causing a temporary bit of chaos.  I think the restaurant staff are pretty good at accommodating all kinds of requests. 

[Sunday golf]

Thanks for the information 

[FatBoy20]

When booking you can request a fixed table in the MDR subject to availability as Saga reserve a number of tables for this purpose

[tiggis]

3 hours ago, FatBoy20 said:

When booking you can request a fixed table in the MDR subject to availability as Saga reserve a number of tables for this purpose

Do Saga publicise this? It seems rather unfair that only people 'in the know' can book tables. I assume the regulars head straight to one of the restaurants on embarkation to make their choice and (though perhaps I'm being unkind) snaffling the best tables, while the rest of us go where we are put each evening. Of course, if you like meeting other people (as we do) then random allocation can work well. But again, what if a large table find they get on well together - can they then reserve to be together for the rest of the cruise?

[FatBoy20]

2 hours ago, tiggis said:

Do Saga publicise this? It seems rather unfair that only people 'in the know' can book tables. I assume the regulars head straight to one of the restaurants on embarkation to make their choice and (though perhaps I'm being unkind) snaffling the best tables, while the rest of us go where we are put each evening. Of course, if you like meeting other people (as we do) then random allocation can work well. But again, what if a large table find they get on well together - can they then reserve to be together for the rest of the cruise?

Yes you are being unkind!. Saga do advertise this under "dining". A max of 150 Tables per Cruise are allocated.

[Denarius]

1 hour ago, FatBoy20 said:

Yes you are being unkind!. Saga do advertise this under "dining". A max of 150 Tables per Cruise are allocated.

On page 13 of the current 2024 "Boutique Cruises" brochure in the Dining Room section it clearly states that "Here, open seating is standard, so you can arrive and dine whenever you like. Or book a "fixed" table if you'd prefer the same one for the duration of your cruise" So the information is there for anyone who cares to read the brochure.

Edited June 27, 2023 by Denarius

[FatBoy20]

24 minutes ago, Denarius said:

On page 13 of the current 2024 "Boutique Cruises" brochure in the Dining Room section it clearly states that "Here, open seating is standard, so you can arrive and dine whenever you like. Or book a "fixed" table if you'd prefer the same one for the duration of your cruise" So the information is there for anyone who cares to read the brochure.

If you book a fixed table upon arrival you will find a card in your Cabin with all the information on it including the table number.

[JoJo1947]

5 hours ago, tiggis said:

Do Saga publicise this? It seems rather unfair that only people 'in the know' can book tables. I assume the regulars head straight to one of the restaurants on embarkation to make their choice and (though perhaps I'm being unkind) snaffling the best tables, while the rest of us go where we are put each evening. Of course, if you like meeting other people (as we do) then random allocation can work well. But again, what if a large table find they get on well together - can they then reserve to be together for the rest of the cruise?

Yes you can ask for a table for two before sailing but there is no guarantee. Also there's a welcome onboard news letter in your cabin on embarkation telling you when to visit the MDR to book a table for the whole duration of your cruise. However you have to eat early and vacate it before 7. 30pm on a full cruise so if you like to eat early do that. Bear in mind some of the tables for 2 are almost touching the next tables with very little space. The first night of your cruise you are told where to eat and time for a smoother service. However should it be a speciality restaurant you don't like you can change it 

[LondonLad60]

On 6/27/2023 at 5:31 PM, JoJo1947 said:

 "However you have to eat early and vacate it before 7. 30pm on a full cruise so if you like to eat early do that."

I may be wrong, but that's not how I understand it. On a previous cruise we were talking to a couple who had pre-booked a table. They said they had to be seated by 7:30pm, not that they had to vacate it by then. If not seated by that time, the table could be offered to other diners. Also, they said if they had booked a speciality restaurant, they would tell the maitre'd as a matter of courtesy so their table could be offered to other diners from 6:30pm.

[twotravellersLondon]

15 minutes ago, LondonLad60 said:

I may be wrong, but that's not how I understand it. On a previous cruise we were talking to a couple who had pre-booked a table. They said they had to be seated by 7:30pm, not that they had to vacate it by then. If not seated by that time, the table could be offered to other diners. Also, they said if they had booked a speciality restaurant, they would tell the maitre'd as a matter of courtesy so their table could be offered to other diners from 6:30pm.

 

 

We've been on both the Discovery and the the Adventure in the last few months and in both cases we've had a pre-booked table for two.

 

These pre-booked tables are available on the first night.

 

It is the case that the window of opportunity to take up the table is between 7.00 and 7.30 pm but there is no need to vacate the table by any particular time so tat it can be "turned."

 

The system is now so sophisticated and efficient that, if a booking has been made with a speciality restaurant, the main dining room will see this on their table allocation screens and will release the table... but I understand that they won't normally do so until diners have been checked into the speciality restaurant.

 

Of course we'd let the station waiter know as a matter if we were dining elsewhere the following day.

 

[LondonLad60]

2 minutes ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

 

We've been on both the Discovery and the the Adventure in the last few months and in both cases we've had a pre-booked table for two.

 

These pre-booked tables are available on the first night.

 

It is the case that the window of opportunity to take up the table is between 7.00 and 7.30 pm but there is no need to vacate the table by any particular time so tat it can be "turned."

 

The system is now so sophisticated and efficient that, if a booking has been made with a speciality restaurant, the main dining room will see this on their table allocation screens and will release the table... but I understand that they won't normally do so until diners have been checked into the speciality restaurant.

 

Of course we'd let the station waiter know as a matter if we were dining elsewhere the following day.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

[JoJo1947]

Perhaps I've been on cruises where there are more pax and  I've haven't made up that tables had to be vacated by 7.30pm when majority pax arrive 

[Glenndale]

1 hour ago, JoJo1947 said:

Perhaps I've been on cruises where there are more pax and  I've haven't made up that tables had to be vacated by 7.30pm when majority pax arrive 

We always have a fixed table, you need to be seated by 7pm but usually leeway until 7:15. There are certainly no rules about vacating by 7:30, it would be a very uncomfortable meal to consume 3 courses plus coffee in 1 hour 😅

[Windsurfboy]

You don't even have to be seated by 7.30 if you are going to be later just let them know and they'll hold it. 

[JoJo1947]

1 hour ago, Glenndale said:

We always have a fixed table, you need to be seated by 7pm but usually leeway until 7:15. There are certainly no rules about vacating by 7:30, it would be a very uncomfortable meal to consume 3 courses plus coffee in 1 hour 😅

On our cruise people had to take their table at 6 30om.  You need to be on that cruise to understand it was different because it was a full ship!!

[JoJo1947]

17 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

You don't even have to be seated by 7.30 if you are going to be later just let them know and they'll hold it. 

.Only early diners were able to book!  No way they'd keep a table. It was on our 2 cruises.  Full ship

[Windsurfboy]

 

11 hours ago, JoJo1947 said:

.Only early diners were able to book!  No way they'd keep a table. It was on our 2 cruises.  Full ship

 

 

We had no trouble coming in at 7.30 pm , OK not a full cruise

 

Saga has 492 seats in Grand dining room,  100 in the club, 74 in each of two speciality restaurants , total 740 seats in waiter served restaurants. Plus the grill which lots of people like, 1038 seats in total  for 987 maximum guests. So even on full cruise they do not have to use tables twice, like on bigger ships. 

 

When you book fixed table which you do well before you board , you book a fixed table , it does not say on website you must dine early.  When you phone (as no longer on my concierge ) you are not told must be in by 6.30.

 

Perhaps if you ask at last minute on board when the allocation of 150 fixed table places has gone, they will find some extra on condition you arrive early 6.30. 

[Glad Bailey]

We had reserved a fixed table in advance on cruise last May.

On boarding there was a card in cabin giving table no. 
and stating that it had to be taken by 7.00 pm or could be released

for other guests.

[lincslady]

It sounds as if what matters is how many passengers will be on board.   Understandable.

[Windsurfboy]

47 minutes ago, Glad Bailey said:

We had reserved a fixed table in advance on cruise last May.

On boarding there was a card in cabin giving table no. 
and stating that it had to be taken by 7.00 pm or could be released

for other guests.

 

That's what ours said but we just said we normally like to come between 7.15 and 7.30 and the Maitre D' said no problem. As has been said before, they know if you are going to a speciality restaurants, and would then give table away. We asked if we should tell him when we were using speciality restaurants he said no need. We also had no push back when we always asked for a break between  courses, we like a leisurely dinner. On Saga the table is yours for as long as you want , Saga website says "enjoy up to 5 courses in this elegant setting", this is a clear indication you can take your time.

 

I'm  a great believer in Companies honouring what they advertise., the Saga website and advertising says there are 150 fixed places , with no mention of time limits so that's what you should expect. 

 

Saga have 1038 seats for 987 passengers, so even when full should be no issues, and no pressure to reuse a table, unless no one wants to use speciality restaurants. But all the complaints seem to be about these being hard to get into.

 

[nosapphire]

We always ask for a fixed table for two in the MDR, and while there is no guarantee of getting it, never been disappointed yet. On the recent cruise (full ship) our card said that after 7pm our table would be released to other guests, but - as above - this is not rigid, and I imagine has been put in place because of some guests having a fixed table but then deciding to eat in the Grill, or have room service, without bothering to let the dining room know.

We never felt we were rushed to finish our meal and vacate the table.

As far as I am aware, it is not possible to reserve a fixed table in the Grill.

[JoJo1947]

15 minutes ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

We've done three SAGA cruises in the last 11 months, used speciality restaurants on 12 occasions and have always had a table for two (including on a full ship) except when we chose to eat with friends. We've just not found that there has been any problem... if you want to have a table for two... just book it in advance of the cruise.

No I don't want to eat early

[tiggis]

Can you choose your reserved table or do you have to accept the one that is allocated to you?