Dining Reservation Times

[cjwags]

I know this question has probably been answered countless times, but I couldn't seem to find anything current. Last June on Vista, 6:30pm was the earliest dining reservation.  We will be on Riviera in March and our dining reservations have not yet opened as we aren't in PH or concierge this time. 😞  Does anyone know if 6:30 is still the earliest? 6:00 pm? Also, is there even any hope of getting a 7 pm? I know that is usually the most popular? Thanks in advance!

[WESTEAST]

Just booked our Speciality restaurants and the earliest was 6:30 PM. 7:00 PM was not a choice next was 7:30 PM then 8:30 PM.  We took the 6:30 - now, these choices were for a table for two and if one shares, the times could differ.

[Akduo1998]

Just booked the specialty restaurants on Marina and 6:30 was the earliest I could get also.

 

[JYDCruise]

Logged in at D-45 at 9PM PST (a perk of being on the West Coast) and didn't see anything before 6:30 whether a shared table or 2-top. It's possible that earlier times were snapped up by the Suite/Concierge passengers, though.

For a non-shared table, we were only able to book a 6:30 for Red Ginger with the others at 8 or 8:30 (which are fine with us).

[shepherd really]

6:30 is the earliest time available because the specialty restaurants don't open until.....(drum roll please)..... 6:30.

 

now cue the "in 2003 on a cruise, they opened at 6:00 comments".

[pinotlover]

On some 7 day segments, with a full ship, they will offer a 6:00 dining time. They do this to facilitate their pledge of a guaranteed reservation for each passenger in each Specialty. If one is not on a cruise with a 7 day segment, the earliest time you will find is 6:30.

 

Rather simple actually.

[Redtravel]

We just sailed on Vista in a standard veranda.  When we booked, we knew that we would probably have to share tables.  While we prefer table for 2, we don’t mind sharing. When restaurant bookings open, I thought that I was able to get all 4 reservations at acceptable times. 1@6:30.  2@ 7:00 1@7:30 

when we checked in, we were handed a card with the list of dining reservations. It had 3 reservations, not 4.  Went to dining concierge, waited in a long line, and eventually had 4 reservations.  I had a copy of my dining reservations screenshot. Day 3, we went to Ember. Raja, the maitr’d said we weren’t on his list. We told him what happened. He was very nice. He seated us. Next day, Raja, told us that he had checked on our other reservations.  Our other reservations were at booked times. Even got an extra reservation at Ember.    
Problems can happen.  It’s how they are resolved that matters.  Raja was amazing. 

[Snaefell3]

3 hours ago, pinotlover said:

On some 7 day segments, with a full ship, they will offer a 6:00 dining time. They do this to facilitate their pledge of a guaranteed reservation for each passenger in each Specialty. If one is not on a cruise with a 7 day segment, the earliest time you will find is 6:30.

 

Rather simple actually.

Yep.  But even when they do, the earliest the website will offer will (often? always?) still be 6:30pm.  If "earlier" is attractive to you, do them a favour: if you get 6:30, check onboard to see if they are seating from 6pm.

[cjwags]

Thanks everyone.  We are traveling with friends, so I will book the four of us together, as we did last time.  Maybe that will help get 6:30.  They prefer eating earlier, so I guess we will take what we can get! 

 

On our June Vista cruise we did 6:30, table for 4 each night.  Once on board we were also able to score an extra night at Ember, Polo and Red Ginger.  No luck for an extra night at  Toscano.  All of the "extra" nights were for a 6:30 time slot.  Never hurts to ask!

[clo]

2 hours ago, cjwags said:

Thanks everyone.  We are traveling with friends, so I will book the four of us together, as we did last time.  Maybe that will help get 6:30.  They prefer eating earlier, so I guess we will take what we can get! 

 

On our June Vista cruise we did 6:30, table for 4 each night.  Once on board we were also able to score an extra night at Ember, Polo and Red Ginger.  No luck for an extra night at  Toscano.  All of the "extra" nights were for a 6:30 time slot.  Never hurts to ask!

How long was your cruise? Do you not want the 'regular' venues?

[edgee]

7 hours ago, shepherd really said:

6:30 is the earliest time available because the specialty restaurants don't open until.....(drum roll please)..... 6:30.

 

now cue the "in 2003 on a cruise, they opened at 6:00 comments".

Yes, I posted 6 p.m. was opening time for specialties on our short cruise several years ago. The political climate at the time was such that the term " fake news" was just coming into vogue. I was accused of offering "fake news" and was actually pretty offended! Seems funny now in retrospect. Anyhow, as others have said, specialty, GDR and Terrace opening times are pretty consistently 6:30 p.m., but for some 7 night cruises they will open specialty restaurants at 6.p.m. in order to offer everyone a shot at getting specialty reservations.

[Waltershipman]

15 minutes ago, edgee said:

Yes, I posted 6 p.m. was opening time for specialties on our short cruise several years ago. The political climate at the time was such that the term " fake news" was just coming into vogue. I was accused of offering "fake news" and was actually pretty offended! Seems funny now in retrospect. Anyhow, as others have said, specialty, GDR and Terrace opening times are pretty consistently 6:30 p.m., but for some 7 night cruises they will open specialty restaurants at 6.p.m. in order to offer everyone a shot at getting specialty reservations.

Great  news we cruised on the Sirena in March 2020 and were the last ones to complete returning March 8. Speaking fake news it was pretty interesting while cruising wondering if we would be able to return to Miami before ports were closed

 

Be well cruise happy 

[cjwags]

2 hours ago, clo said:

How long was your cruise? Do you not want the 'regular' venues?

We were on a 10 day voyage.  We did the main dining room one night, and Terrace Cafe a couple of nights (with pizza from Waves).  We enjoyed the speciality dining enough to repeat if possible.  On our next cruise we will have 12 nights, so plenty of nights in the "regular venues". 🙂 

[clo]

37 minutes ago, cjwags said:

We were on a 10 day voyage.  We did the main dining room one night, and Terrace Cafe a couple of nights (with pizza from Waves).  We enjoyed the speciality dining enough to repeat if possible.  On our next cruise we will have 12 nights, so plenty of nights in the "regular venues". 🙂 

We did the GDR twice and actually preferred Terrace Cafe (yum - the lobster tails, shrimp and lamb chops). We did each of the three (at that time just not crazed about Asian fusion) and then grabbed a second at Jacques. No losers.

[Redtravel]

On 10 night cruise on Vista, we only ate in GDR 4 nights and one lunch.  Most meals were at Terrace Buffet.  We ate twice at Ember and once at each of the other 3 restaurants.  For lunches, ate at Waves a few times, Aquamar once, and frequently visited Baristas and the Bakery.  Bakery is a nice addition to Baristas.  Called room service once. Lots of choices All are ok.

[Cruzin Terri]

8 hours ago, Snaefell3 said:

Yep.  But even when they do, the earliest the website will offer will (often? always?) still be 6:30pm.  If "earlier" is attractive to you, do them a favour: if you get 6:30, check onboard to see if they are seating from 6pm.

On the Vista Feb. 11 cruise the website shows 6 pm as the earliest time for Specialty Restaurant reservations.

[Iamthesea]

I am sailing in early March in a standard B3.  Somewhere on my reservation it says that I can sign up for specialty dining on January 24.  Does that mean that I can go to my reservation just after midnight, EST tomorrow night and make the reservations?

[edgee]

7 hours ago, Cruzin Terri said:

On the Vista Feb. 11 cruise the website shows 6 pm as the earliest time for Specialty Restaurant reservations.

Yes, and that is a 7 night cruise.

[edgee]

2 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

I am sailing in early March in a standard B3.  Somewhere on my reservation it says that I can sign up for specialty dining on January 24.  Does that mean that I can go to my reservation just after midnight, EST tomorrow night and make the reservations?

Yes, right after midnight on the date reservations open.

[Snaefell3]

30 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

I am sailing in early March in a standard B3.  Somewhere on my reservation it says that I can sign up for specialty dining on January 24.  Does that mean that I can go to my reservation just after midnight, EST tomorrow night and make the reservations?

More precisely, when the browser program on your computer realizes that O's computer has ticked over to 12:00:01am.  Hit the `refresh` button on the [Manage this Booking] → [Dining] page every few seconds until it stops telling you you're early.

 

IIRC, it will start with only buttons for [Dine a Private Table], [Dine with another Booked Party], and [Share my Table with Other Guests] then offer more detailed choices, layer by layer as you make your choices.

[Snaefell3]

8 hours ago, Cruzin Terri said:

On the Vista Feb. 11 cruise the website shows 6 pm as the earliest time for Specialty Restaurant reservations.

Shoreside IT actually talked to the restaurant staff afloat for once?  😃

[Iamthesea]

Thank you!

[clo]

6 hours ago, edgee said:

Yes, right after midnight on the date reservations open.

Midnight in which time zone?

[edgee]

1 minute ago, clo said:

Midnight in which time zone?

The questioner specifically asked about EST and I answered referring to the question.

[clo]

11 minutes ago, edgee said:

The questioner specifically asked about EST and I answered referring to the question.

Sorry, I don't see that. No problem.