dining options

[rabbitneedles]

just about to book on mariner ,and have a question on dining. I understand that all restaurants are open seating ,does this mean that lines form at peak times. Also are reservations required.:confused:

[NCCruzQueen]

On the Mariner, like the Voyager, there are 4 restaurants. The Compass Rose is the main dining room with open seating and no reservations. Signatures and Latitudes are reservation only. You can book online about 28 days out. La Veranda is the other restaurant. It may be reservations, maybe someone who has been onboard lately can tell you. The menus are listed on the TV daily. A nice touch. You will not find lines, but occasionally if you go when the dining room opens, a 1-2 minute wait to find a table and seat your party. With two entrances, this in unlikely. All the food is wonderful. Enjoy and take elastic waist pants!!

[BBfromCA]

It should be mentioned that for Signatures and Latitudes, you can only make one reservation for each restaurant online. Extra reservations for those restaurants can be made once onboard.

 

Both LaVeranda and Compass Rose do not take reservations.

 

On our April/May cruise, the menus were not on the TV. Several of us made comments about this while onboard and also included those on the comment cards. Last year, the menus were on TV and made it much easier to make restaurant choices.

[rabbitneedles]

I see that you've been on the Panama Canal cruise ,this is the one we're going on April 2008. How was it ?.How many formal nights were there and what did you think of the shore excursions.

[BBfromCA]

I loved the Panama Cruise and would consider doing it again.

 

There were 3 formal, 3 informal and 9 CC Casual nights.

 

I am not a big excursion person, but here is what I chose:

We had 3 medical evacuations, one which made us skip our call into Caregena, Columbia, so I missed the excursion planned there.

I took the "Former Canal Zone and Gutan Locks" tour in Panama. I loved the mechanics of the Locks, so this tour was great. Everyone that goes ashore in Panama has a chance to visit the Gutan Yacht Club (no charge) to see performances by the locals along with the selling of their wares.

I walked around on my own in Puntarenas. The locals have a large area set up where they sell items which is near where the ship docks. A lot of guests did the canopy and sky walk tours and enjoyed them.

I noticed that next year, there is a stop in Puerto Chiapas. We did not have a stop there.

In Huatulco, I took the "Pleasant Bay Tour", which is a ride in a large pontoon type boat...very large..which visits 6 of the bays in the area. There is also time to do a bit of shopping in the shopping district.

In Acapulco, I took the 3 1/2 hour "Highlights and Cliff Divers Tour". The cliff diving was nice to watch (although short). They also include a dancing show. The rest of the tour (by bus) is not that exciting, and there is a forced shopping stop.

I chose to walk around Cabo San Lucas with other ship guests. There is a shopping area right where the tenders dock. We got out of the main tourist area and found some nice shops on our own.

Enjoy your cruise!!!

[BBfromCA]

Rabbitneedles,

 

If you are interested in reading my cruise log (and that of another passenger on the Panama cruise), send me an e-mail and I will send you the links.

 

Bill

BBfromCA@aol.com

[BILLP1]

There was only a wait one night on the Mariner for the Compass Rose. That was the first night and I think everyone was trying to eat and get the show . We waited in the Mariner lounge for about fifteen minutes. Also might have been because we requested a table for two. After that there was never a wait.

[johnnycruise]

It should be mentioned that for Signatures and Latitudes, you can only make one reservation for each restaurant online. Extra reservations for those restaurants can be made once onboard.

 

Is it difficult to get an additional reservation for those two restaurants on board?

[JMARINER]

From RSSC FAQ

 

Q: How are the Priority Reservations for restaurants and the spa made?

A: Priority Reservations for restaurants and the spa may be made online and on board. Guests will be queued according to their SSS tier level.

 

 

Q: May I make reservations for more than one night in a specialty restaurant?

A: We offer at least one reservation in each alternative restaurant per cruise segment. On shorter cruises (7 days or less), this cannot be guaranteed but we will do our utmost to accommodate all requests.

 

 

 

 

j

[BBfromCA]

Johnny,

 

On the 16 day cruise that I was on, it was not a problem to get extra reservations at either restaurant.