Mariner Alaska Dinner Reservations

[Lsb58]

Sorry, I know there are numerous threads about this issue, but I didn't see any recent ones and didn't want to wait until my ship documents arrived to find an answer, or play phone tag with my TA.

I will be traveling with 8 family members who will probably be dining together most nights. I realize a reservation for Prime 7 is prudent, but how about the other venues? Since we are in 4 different cabins, do we each have to make separate dining reservations and request to be seated together, or can one of us make the reservation for 8? Also, when I log on to the already booked section, I don't see where the dinner reservation link is. Perhaps it will appear once I am within 30 days of sailing. Thanks for helping the newbie!:rolleyes:

[DaveFr]

The link for dining reservations will appear in the Already Booked section of the web site 30 days before your cruise. You can only make online reservations is Signatures and Prime 7. As far as I know, you cannot make reservations in either Compass Rose or La Veranda. I'm not sure if you can reserve a table for eight in Prime 7, but if you can, one cabin would make the reservation and list the names of the other six diners in the reservation request. Hope this helps.

 

Dave

[Travelcat2]

I'll answer part of this -- and let others handle the part I'm not too sure about. You will have the ability to make reservations at 30 days (just as you thought). Suggest that, in addition to Prime 7, you make reservations at Signatures at that time.

 

La Veranda and Compass Rose do not take reservations. Suggest you dine either early or late to avoid the crowds (7:30 - 8:00 p.m. tends to get crowded).

 

I just noticed that someone else answered your question. I'll keep this here anyway.

[RachelG]

You can't see the link to make reservations till 30 days prior to sailing. Then it magically appears.:)

 

If you want to dine in Signatures, you need to try to make reservations in advance. I am not sure how large the largest table there is (either 6 or 8), so if there are 8 of you, you would need 2 tables if you all wanted to dine together. Thus you would need people in 2 different cabins to make reservations.

 

You do not need to (and really can't) pre-reserve in CR and La Veranda.

[cruiseej]

We just ate in Signatures last night, and I noticed there was a table of 8. I think 6 is the normal large table for Signatures and Prime 7, but they apparently can create a table for 8. As for Compass Rose, there are several tables for 8 in the room, so you shouldn't have a problem there. As others have noted, you can't reserve those in advance, but I'd just go see the maitre d' on your first day to see if he'll hold one for you at whatever time you want.

 

-- Eric

[Lsb58]

I just knew I would get some answers here! It's good to know what the busy times are. We usually prefer to eat early at home, but who knows what the dinner schedule will be after excursion filled days.

Cruiseej-how bout' some deets on your cruise?!

[Lsb58]

ooops! Just saw Eric's post about reporting on his cruise. I'll be sure to read the thread.

[Rally]

Sorry, I know there are numerous threads about this issue, but I didn't see any recent ones and didn't want to wait until my ship documents arrived to find an answer, or play phone tag with my TA.

I will be traveling with 8 family members who will probably be dining together most nights. I realize a reservation for Prime 7 is prudent, but how about the other venues? Since we are in 4 different cabins, do we each have to make separate dining reservations and request to be seated together, or can one of us make the reservation for 8? Also, when I log on to the already booked section, I don't see where the dinner reservation link is. Perhaps it will appear once I am within 30 days of sailing. Thanks for helping the newbie!:rolleyes:

 

On our most recent Regent cruise we joined a group of 9 (with us that made 11) and they just notified the maitre d' and all was well. They had a standing tabel for 9 in Compass Rose each evening (don't know whetehr they went elsewhere or not.) Regent can handle just about anything is you ask =)

[Lsb58]

Thanks to everyone who responded with much appreciated advice regarding dinner reservations. I was able to book when and where I wanted to.

A special shout out to Impeaches for the tip about the reservation link appearing at midnight eastern time! Had I not know this, I would have logged on Monday morning (PT) instead of 9:00pm Sunday night. As it was, there were already nights when Signatures was full! I was hoping to reserve a table for 8 at Signatures, but the largest table available is 6. Thanks to Dave FR and Rachel's advice I just reserved 2 tables for 4. I did notice in the dining info it states that no requests for larger/small tables will be honored. Hopefully they can at least seat us next to each other.

Just for fun I logged on at 5:30am (PT) Monday just to see what was still available and Prime 7 was full on 7/15 and 7/17!

As a new cruiser, I am so happy I stumbled across this website. The advice has been invaluable!! I have a pretty decent TA, but I'd have to be on the phone with her 24/7 to get the kind of input I get here. The only other cruise I've taken is a short Royal Caribbean LA-/Ensenada cruise (does that even count?:cool:) back in 1989! I have a feeling it will be like going from a Yugo to a Mercedes!

[ImPeaches]

Thanks to everyone who responded with much appreciated advice regarding dinner reservations. I was able to book when and where I wanted to.

A special shout out to Impeaches for the tip about the reservation link appearing at midnight eastern time! Had I not know this, I would have logged on Monday morning (PT) instead of 9:00pm Sunday night. As it was, there were already nights when Signatures was full! I was hoping to reserve a table for 8 at Signatures, but the largest table available is 6. Thanks to Dave FR and Rachel's advice I just reserved 2 tables for 4. I did notice in the dining info it states that no requests for larger/small tables will be honored. Hopefully they can at least seat us next to each other.

Just for fun I logged on at 5:30am (PT) Monday just to see what was still available and Prime 7 was full on 7/15 and 7/17!

 

You're very welcome! I'm glad you were able to get the time and space you had hoped for. It's amazing how quickly these two restaurants are filling up with advance reservations, isn't it? It's as if everyone is sitting at their computer 30 days pre-cruise, "refreshing" the screen until precisely midnight Eastern time, then BAM!

[Lsb58]

It's as if everyone is sitting at their computer 30 days pre-cruise, "refreshing" the screen until precisely midnight Eastern time, then BAM!

 

No kidding Peaches! As it was, I logged on at 9:00pm sharp, PT, and had to keep refreshing the page until the dining reservation link showed up at 9:08! Anyhoo, thanks again for the tip.

[cruiseej]

I was hoping to reserve a table for 8 at Signatures, but the largest table available is 6. Thanks to Dave FR and Rachel's advice I just reserved 2 tables for 4. I did notice in the dining info it states that no requests for larger/small tables will be honored. Hopefully they can at least seat us next to each other.

 

After my previous post in this tread, I did walk back into Prime 7 the morning we departed the ship, and I noted that there was one table for 8 set in the room. And as I noted above, I know there was a table of 8 in Signatures the night we dined there. So I think if you have 8 reserved as 4+4, just try to contact the maitre d' on your first afternoon aboard to see if they can give you an existing table for 8 or create a table for 8. Unless they have other parties of 8 doing the same thing, they'll likely be able to accommodate you.

 

-- Eric

[Lsb58]

Thanks for double checking Eric. Prime 7 had the option of reserving a table for 8, but Signatures did not. I will follow your advice though and see if they can make a table for 8 happen for us (despite what they say to the contrary on the reservations page!)

[breezepark]

Thanks to everyone who responded with much appreciated advice regarding dinner reservations. I was able to book when and where I wanted to.

A special shout out to Impeaches for the tip about the reservation link appearing at midnight eastern time! Had I not know this, I would have logged on Monday morning (PT) instead of 9:00pm Sunday night. As it was, there were already nights when Signatures was full! I was hoping to reserve a table for 8 at Signatures, but the largest table available is 6. Thanks to Dave FR and Rachel's advice I just reserved 2 tables for 4. I did notice in the dining info it states that no requests for larger/small tables will be honored. Hopefully they can at least seat us next to each other.

Just for fun I logged on at 5:30am (PT) Monday just to see what was still available and Prime 7 was full on 7/15 and 7/17!

 

You're very welcome! I'm glad you were able to get the time and space you had hoped for. It's amazing how quickly these two restaurants are filling up with advance reservations, isn't it? It's as if everyone is sitting at their computer 30 days pre-cruise, "refreshing" the screen until precisely midnight Eastern time, then BAM!

 

I must thank you also - was able to reserve the days and times I preferred because I knew when to try. Very helpful post! Any other gems for a new Regent cruiser?

[MsBatt]

We were curious about how large a table one could get in Compass Rose and one evening after dinner took a walk around the dining room just to look at table sizes. One one side we noticed two tables set for 10 or 12, and there were a few other rounds that would hold 8. I am not sure if this was just for groups on our cruise, or if this is standard, but it certainly looks like one could have a family group with those numbers. I imagine that this is something you should arrange with the dining room managers as soon as you board the ship.