Chef table on Grand

[lbfluffy]

Can I make reservations ahead of time? I don't see the option on my personalizer.

[caribill]

You can only sign up once on the ship.

 

You do not actually make a reservation. You ask to be put on the list and hopefully you will make the cut.

 

Also, you will not know the date of the event until you are notified that you have been selected.

 

You ask to get on the list by calling the DINE line or speaking to the Maitre 'd in the dining room.

[lbfluffy]

You can only sign up once on the ship.

 

You do not actually make a reservation. You ask to be put on the list and hopefully you will make the cut.

 

Also, you will not know the date of the event until you are notified that you have been selected.

 

You ask to get on the list by calling the DINE line or speaking to the Maitre 'd in the dining room.

 

Thank you for that information.

[lbfluffy]

This is the first time my husband has actually shown interest. I've been wanting to do it for years. We are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary and he says go for it, it's a special treat. I'm kind of bummed we can't book early and it's not a guerentee. We won't be the early ones on since we are only Ruby!! Oh well. It is what it is!!

[Treven]

As the Table only takes 12 people, the earlier you can board and call the DINE line the better your chances. By "the earlier you can board", I mean noon-ish. The only time I got in, I was onboard and on the phone by noon. Good luck!

[lbfluffy]

As the Table only takes 12 people, the earlier you can board and call the DINE line the better your chances. By "the earlier you can board", I mean noon-ish. The only time I got in, I was onboard and on the phone by noon. Good luck!

 

Thanks we will be driving and parking at the port so we hopefully will be on quickly.

[Working 2 Cruise]

Try to arrive in time to get boarding number 1, if you can. That might mean waiting a while at the pier.... That will ensure your being able to embark as soon as the suite, elite and platinum passengers have better boarded the ship. Good luck!

[lbfluffy]

Try to arrive in time to get boarding number 1, if you can. That might mean waiting a while at the pier.... That will ensure your being able to embark as soon as the suite, elite and platinum passengers have better boarded the ship. Good luck!

 

Thank you. We are debating if we want to stay at a hotel the night before or drive up. We are 3 hours away. I think a hotel I San Francisco may be too pricey. It's not like when we leave out of San Pedro. We find deals down there.

[Working 2 Cruise]

Thank you. We are debating if we want to stay at a hotel the night before or drive up. We are 3 hours away. I think a hotel I San Francisco may be too pricey. It's not like when we leave out of San Pedro. We find deals down there.

 

We will likely do this cruise as well, sometime in July or August... No hotels for us as well... Too expensive! However, a short flight from Los Angeles on the day of embarkation should be ok!

 

We won't do the chefs table but rather, the ultimate balcony dinner!

[Treven]

Thank you. We are debating if we want to stay at a hotel the night before or drive up. We are 3 hours away. I think a hotel I San Francisco may be too pricey. It's not like when we leave out of San Pedro. We find deals down there.

I think there are only two classes of hotels in San Francisco. Expensive and very expensive. You can probably find some motel type rentals around $100 or so, but I'd rather not stay in any of those. I'd rather come in the day of my cruise instead of trusting one of those h(m)otels.:D

Edited April 7, 2016 by Treven

[Bethwte]

I think it's highly dependent on your individual cruise. We didn't board until late and I didn't see the Maitre D's desk until well after 3pm and still got in on the cruise I just took. There are probably a few reasons for this.

 

We were told that there tends to be less interest in it on the longer cruises/cruises with more experienced passengers because many have the been there/done that attitude. Whereas on the itineraries with newer passengers, many more want to try it. I also am a single female under 30 which probably helps, and there was a family of 3 looking to get in, so I helped even out the numbers. So while a lot comes down to early boarding, sometimes it's just luck.

[lbfluffy]

We will likely do this cruise as well, sometime in July or August... No hotels for us as well... Too expensive! However, a short flight from Los Angeles on the day of embarkation should be ok!

 

We won't do the chefs table but rather, the ultimate balcony dinner!

 

We were thinking about doing the ultimate balcony dining however I'm not sure kind of weather we will have been we are going to Alaska.

 

As far as hotels it looks like it won't happen. The only problem I see coming on the day of the cruise is that we will more than likely hit rush-hour traffic since we are about 2 to 3 hours from San Francisco.

[Working 2 Cruise]

For the UBD, I'd recommend doing it the Ketchikan day... If it's too cold, they can set it up in your cabin... Definitely not the Glacier Bay day!

 

As far as traffic, you'll have to leave early! We might just get the Princess transfers just because of traffic...

[lbfluffy]

For the UBD, I'd recommend doing it the Ketchikan day... If it's too cold, they can set it up in your cabin... Definitely not the Glacier Bay day!

 

As far as traffic, you'll have to leave early! We might just get the Princess transfers just because of traffic...

 

There is a travelodge we've stayed at when flying out of SFO that was fairly cheap, they kept our car and had a shuttle to airport. But this is different since we want to go to the pier. I'm still researching.

[geoherb]

If the weather is bad, they can set up the UBD inside your cabin. It's not quite the same atmosphere as having a balcony dinner, but it's still the same tasty food and excellent service.

[travellover3]

You can only sign up once on the ship.

 

You do not actually make a reservation. You ask to be put on the list and hopefully you will make the cut.

 

Also, you will not know the date of the event until you are notified that you have been selected.

 

You ask to get on the list by calling the DINE line or speaking to the Maitre 'd in the dining room.

 

How many Chef's Table evenings are there on the 15 day Hawaii cruise, and do they have them only when at sea or also on a port day? We are going to try to book it this time, as this cruise celebrates our 50th anniversary!

[Roatanfans]

On our 15 day Hawaii there were 2, but I don't think there was a huge demand (we only had 7 dinners on the 2nd night)

[cruiselvr1]

Thank you. We are debating if we want to stay at a hotel the night before or drive up. We are 3 hours away. I think a hotel I San Francisco may be too pricey. It's not like when we leave out of San Pedro. We find deals down there.

My are also about 3 hours away, and since the new terminal was built we enjoy going out of SF. We drive or take Bart on our cruises. We have rented one ways cars, hertz has a dropoff facility in the wharf. We leave early in the morning, and enjoy our time around the wharf before the cruise. We are usually among the first to board. It just depends if you don't mind getting up early.

[cruisingpeople]

How many Chef's Table evenings are there on the 15 day Hawaii cruise, and do they have them only when at sea or also on a port day?

 

We just got off the Grand last week from a 7 day California Coastal. We called the DINE (3463) line as soon as we got to our cabin to be put on the list figuring that there would be only 1 CT evening. Our sailing was from Sunday to Sunday. We received notification of our acceptance on Tuesday morning for a Thursday Chef's Table. While at Anytime Dining on Wednesday evening, we noticed a group heading for the Galley. For a moment I thought I had screwed up on the day. Come to find out, they had added an additional night. So it is possible that you could have 2 or more on a 15 day cruise. Both these were on port days since our only sea days were the first and last.

Edited May 1, 2016 by cruisingpeople

[Papa Yoda]

How many Chef's Table evenings are there on the 15 day Hawaii cruise, and do they have them only when at sea or also on a port day? We are going to try to book it this time, as this cruise celebrates our 50th anniversary!

 

There were 3 for sure and a private 4th possible (but they didn't get enough in their group to go for it) on our March cruise on the Grand.

 

Also keep the Maitre 'd informed of your interest if you don't get in as there were last minute cancels (due to persistent cough) for ours.

 

The M'D tries to not have them on Formal or Lobster nights.