Premier-Unlimited Specialty dining?

[phabric]

With the new Premier having unlimited specialty dining, do think there will be any tables available at decent times?

[memoak]

2 minutes ago, phabric said:

With the new Premier having unlimited specialty dining, do think there will be any tables available at decent times?

Define decent time. We never eat dinner before 7:30 or 8:00

[phabric]

Just now, memoak said:

Define decent time. We never eat dinner before 7:30 or 8:00

I like to eat early so can see the 7:30 show.

 

I wonder with the unlimited specialty dining, will there be table available?

[arizonaperson]

No definitive answer to that question. Too subjective. I think it will depend on what ship and how far out from your voyage that you make a reservation in specialty dining and I’m assuming for a few passengers like casino perks and other officers perks for passengers that they will always hold a few reservations open. But getting the exact time that you want Every evening that you want specialty -maybe -maybe not.

Too many variables in this type of question.
Do you have a cruise booked with the unlimited specialty dining ? and if you do -go ahead and book it ,that way you will find out if the time that you desire is available. And if you don’t have a cruise booked -then book it and then start booking your specialty reservations.

Until this unlimited specialty dining ( premier) starts rolling out, I don’t think you’ll really know what the answer is until people start posting that it’s not a problem or it is a problem, but have to give it time on that one.

Edited August 27 by arizonaperson

[voljeep]

14 minutes ago, phabric said:

I like to eat early so can see the 7:30 show.

 

I wonder with the unlimited specialty dining, will there be table available?

Suite? yes

Casino? yes

Booked 1st day cruise becomes available? probably, if elite or platinum?

Other? maybe, depending on ship and venues

[suekel]

16 minutes ago, phabric said:

I like to eat early so can see the 7:30 show.

 

I wonder with the unlimited specialty dining, will there be table available?

I think it wil be very difficult to get a table at a popular time unless you pay in full right away or are elite. 

[arizonaperson]

Not sure if your cruise has to be paid in full or Platinum/Elite to book specialty dining? With the new included unlimited premier specialty dining, maybe too soon to know unless you’re more than four months out and don’t have your cruise paid in full under this package. Since all of this is just rolling out this coming Saturday .

 

So how many of you that have a cruise that is in January 2025 or forward and you have not paid your voyage in full  and you are not Platinum / Elite and you’ve been able to make specialty dining reservations under the Premier package?

or how many of you have the new premier package and you’ve been able to book specialty dining and you are not paid in full but you are platinum or elite?

I think this is probably the only way to see what’s possible in booking a SD reservations.

Edited August 27 by arizonaperson

[reedprincess]

Elite here, not paid in full, bought new Premier package two days after it was announced and made all my specialty dining reservations for Sec and January the next day..

[TomBaker]

If I'm Elite and solo with the Premier+ package would it be wrong of me to book all my speciality restaurant bookings before I depart and take up a table for two when I will be dining alone?

[grimace95120]

1 hour ago, phabric said:

With the new Premier having unlimited specialty dining, do think there will be any tables available at decent times?

My personal experience. Ship : Enchanted. Sailing Sept 21 2024 Canada New England. Secured the new premier on Aug 20th and started booking. I was able to get Rudis anytime ( an there are still slots open today) BUT securing Crown Grill or Sabatinis took a bit of work, and a lot of going back on the app to find a time. I was finally able to get a 740pm and a 5pm at Crown and a 7pm and a 5 pm at Sabatini's. Now, there is zero availability for either of these venues prior to  8pm on any night. Again this is just my personal observation, each sailing will be different 

[memoak]

2 minutes ago, TomBaker said:

If I'm Elite and solo with the Premier+ package would it be wrong of me to book all my speciality restaurant bookings before I depart and take up a table for two when I will be dining alone?

Isn’t it still the same table regardless if one or two people are using it ?  I have never seen a table for one

[arizonaperson]

10 minutes ago, TomBaker said:

If I'm Elite and solo with the Premier+ package would it be wrong of me to book all my speciality restaurant bookings before I depart and take up a table for two when I will be dining alone?

Not at all wrong .Everyone is welcome to book SD,especially if it’s included in your package you purchased.

It is fine to reserve a table solo, minimum table size is for 2, doesn’t matter. Average table size is 4 in specialty,but they all differ.

No issues -go ahead & book.

Edited August 27 by arizonaperson

[memoak]

1 minute ago, grimace95120 said:

My personal experience. Ship : Enchanted. Sailing Sept 21 2024 Canada New England. Secured the new premier on Aug 20th and started booking. I was able to get Rudis anytime ( an there are still slots open today) BUT securing Crown Grill or Sabatinis took a bit of work, and a lot of going back on the app to find a time. I was finally able to get a 740pm and a 5pm at Crown and a 7pm and a 5 pm at Sabatini's. Now, there is zero availability for either of these venues prior to  8pm on any night. Again this is just my personal observation, each sailing will be different 

I doubt they book every table ahead of time. They have to leave some availability for suites, casino patrons etc

[TomBaker]

1 minute ago, memoak said:

Isn’t it still the same table regardless if one or two people are using it ?  I have never seen a table for one

I was stating that I shall be taking up two seats when there will be only one person at the table, which means basically reserving two seats. Hope this clarifies things

[grimace95120]

1 minute ago, memoak said:

I doubt they book every table ahead of time. They have to leave some availability for suites, casino patrons etc

totally understand, I'm just sharing my personal experience to answer the original question. I can only speak to what I know 

[reedprincess]

8 minutes ago, TomBaker said:

If I'm Elite and solo with the Premier+ package would it be wrong of me to book all my speciality restaurant bookings before I depart and take up a table for two when I will be dining alone?

Of course not! Why would it be wrong to take advantage of the perks you've bought and paid for? .No venues have solo tables to begin with, so whether you booked in advance or aboard, you're not doing anything wrong.. 

Book your restaurants and enjoy!.

[Lady Arwen]

 Currently, on Enchanted.  With our Premier package booked months ago we reserved our two complimentary SD and four more we paid for.  People are  complaining because on the first day no SD restaurants were available.  Fully booked from day one.  With the new package with unlimited SD I can’t imagine anyone else will be able to secure any SD.

[reedprincess]

10 minutes ago, TomBaker said:

I was stating that I shall be taking up two seats when there will be only one person at the table, which means basically reserving two seats. Hope this clarifies things

I completely understand what you're asking, and absolutely no, it's not wrong or inconsiderate, etc in any way. Just as it isn't inconsiderate or whatever to make a dinner reservation in a land based restaurant as a solo.  

 

Specialty, etc Restaurants aboard don't have solo tables, nor do they have bar seating. If you want to dine at the MDR, specialty dining, etc - you'll be at a two top as the smallest option. (Yes, some ships have high bar seating in the buffet, potentially at Ocean Terrace Seafood, and Vines, among other smaller options).

 

Of course it's not wrong, inconsiderate, incorrect, whatever to make your dining reservations when they become available - I can't imagine why you think it would be...

 

Make your reservations and enjoy! 

Edited August 27 by reedprincess

[suekel]

17 minutes ago, TomBaker said:

If I'm Elite and solo with the Premier+ package would it be wrong of me to book all my speciality restaurant bookings before I depart and take up a table for two when I will be dining alone?

absolutely not. Go for it

[grimace95120]

1 minute ago, Lady Arwen said:

 Currently, on Enchanted.  With our Premier package booked months ago we reserved our two complimentary SD and four more we paid for.  People are  complaining because on the first day no SD restaurants were available.  Fully booked from day one.  With the new package with unlimited SD I can’t imagine anyone else will be able to secure any SD.

And the new package hasn't been rolled out on your sailing yet, so yes its going to be a wee bit capacity constrained next week onwards. Like i was saying , for me personally only Rudis is wide open ( but I will concede to memoaks point re some capacity saved for suites/casino guests of which I am neither ) 

[memoak]

4 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

 Currently, on Enchanted.  With our Premier package booked months ago we reserved our two complimentary SD and four more we paid for.  People are  complaining because on the first day no SD restaurants were available.  Fully booked from day one.  With the new package with unlimited SD I can’t imagine anyone else will be able to secure any SD.

Suite concierges and casino hosts can work miracles. Especially on embarkation day suites are guaranteed specialty dining and we book those when we board

[voljeep]

2 hours ago, phabric said:

With the new Premier having unlimited specialty dining, do think there will be any tables available at decent times?

plenty of tables - not a problem

 

timely waiters, cooks, servers??? 

[Cruisemeister2002]

I would imagine that even being Elite if you don't have the Premium Package your ability to book Speciality dining will be harder to get. As Arizonaperson says you can't make an exact judgement on how it will work. If you have a ship where vast numbers want an early, mid or late sitting in a certain venue seeing as the capacity is much smaller than an MDR then there will be problems booking. But like everything else people will go off the idea either because they cannot get in, or they are fed up with steaks, fish or whatever every night throughout a cruise. Just like I sometimes cannot wait to get back to normal eating after a few weeks away where I long for a piece of cheese on toast,  Baked beans on toast or just a bowls of pasta with some tuna and mayonnaise.

[Lady Arwen]

The Catch has had zero availability since day one.  We were there on Sunday and again tonight.  On Sunday, the wait staff was vastly overworked.  We felt bad for them.  Every single table was occupied.  I have no idea how many were from suites or casino bookings.  Lots of unhappy rumblings about no availability all week.  We ate at Gigi’s today for lunch and it too was packed.  We saw the line starting at 11:00 am. 

[cruisinsince75]

5 minutes ago, grimace95120 said:

And the new package hasn't been rolled out on your sailing yet, so yes its going to be a wee bit capacity constrained next week onwards. Like i was saying , for me personally only Rudis is wide open ( but I will concede to memoaks point re some capacity saved for suites/casino guests of which I am neither ) 

Ours hadn't been rolled out either, but was able to upgrade last week via chat.  Took a couple of try's.  I immediately went on the app and booked the times I wanted.  I suspect that if you wait, the times might not be available.