Specialty Dining OBC

[Lmarie6]

Hello,

 

My first cruise is coming up in a few weeks, and I see they're offering up to 30% OBC if you make reservations with at least 3 specialty restaurants. I have a few questions regarding this:

 

1. Which nights would be best for specialty dining? Is there a way to tell in advance when the MDR formal nights will be? We want to experience at least one formal night.

 

2. It states the OBC only applies to food purchase (cover or a la carte)... does this mean if we purchase an alcoholic beverage it won't count towards the 30% OBC?

 

3. Are there any restrictions on what you can use the OBC for? Can we use it for alcoholic beverages? Can we use it at the spa? For excursions?

 

$. If we make reservations at specialty restaurants and then see the menu for MDR and don't want to miss out on something, can we move the specialty reservation to a different day without forfeiting that OBC?

 

Sorry for all the questions, but it is our first time. We're sailing Thanksgiving week (Nov. 21 - 29) from Baltimore to the Bahamas on the Grandeur. This seems like a good deal since we don't want to get dressed up to eat in the MDR every single night, but I want to know what I'm getting into.

 

Thanks!

[Ashland]

You don't have to get "dressed up" every night to eat in the MDR...there will be two designated "formal" nights but even those are only a recommendation and not mandatory...wear what you would wear out to a restaurant in your hometown...don't stress about this...you'll see lots of different dress/fashion nightly...some will dress up some will be more casual....Enjoy your cruise.

[RSLeesburg]

One comment - we sailed on Grandeur last year for Thanksgiving, and we bought our specialty dining package when we were boarding - we got similar discount without having to prepay. We ate at Giovannis on that first night, and the hostess offered us another 20 percent off if we wanted to dine there another night for dinner. We got a similar offer when we dined at Izumi. So, you can get just as good of a deal while you are on board - and we never had a problem making reservations each day for that evening.

[Lmarie6]

One comment - we sailed on Grandeur last year for Thanksgiving, and we bought our specialty dining package when we were boarding - we got similar discount without having to prepay. We ate at Giovannis on that first night, and the hostess offered us another 20 percent off if we wanted to dine there another night for dinner. We got a similar offer when we dined at Izumi. So, you can get just as good of a deal while you are on board - and we never had a problem making reservations each day for that evening.

 

Thank you for this info, it is helpful. On your Thanksgiving cruise, was Thanksgiving dinner one of the formal nights?

[RSLeesburg]

Thank you for this info, it is helpful. On your Thanksgiving cruise, was Thanksgiving dinner one of the formal nights?

 

 

Yes. For our cruise Thanksgiving did fall on the second formal night - Day 7. I had to look it up as we do not eat in MDR. Our son (5) loves eating at the Windjammer - there are a few tables just outside where you can sit and watch the ocean (if it's not too cold). If you look at my signature, I posted a review for our Thanksgiving cruise.

[Lmarie6]

Yes. For our cruise Thanksgiving did fall on the second formal night - Day 7. I had to look it up as we do not eat in MDR. Our son (5) loves eating at the Windjammer - there are a few tables just outside where you can sit and watch the ocean (if it's not too cold). If you look at my signature, I posted a review for our Thanksgiving cruise.

 

Thank you so much for sharing!

 

I'm glad your review included all of the specialty restaurants and was delighted to find that you enjoyed each one. Much like your son, I'm afraid MDR every single night will just be a bit overwhelming for us - we're cruising to relax, you know? Plus, when we booked the only dining available was 8 pm, which is a bit late for us - my sweetheart tends to get "hangry" by about 7. I think we'll wait until we're on board and see if they offer specialty dining packages, and how the schedules look, etc.

[RSLeesburg]

Thank you so much for sharing!

 

I'm glad your review included all of the specialty restaurants and was delighted to find that you enjoyed each one. Much like your son, I'm afraid MDR every single night will just be a bit overwhelming for us - we're cruising to relax, you know? Plus, when we booked the only dining available was 8 pm, which is a bit late for us - my sweetheart tends to get "hangry" by about 7. I think we'll wait until we're on board and see if they offer specialty dining packages, and how the schedules look, etc.

 

 

I know exactly what you mean. We cruise to relax too! Well, my wife and I do - our son likes to go, go, go...

 

Enjoy your cruise! We will be on Freedom this year - our first time on a bigger ship. Our son is super excited!