Booking Specialty Dinig

[Jalex63]

Is there a certain time frame, say number of days out from the cruise, that HAL opens up the booking capabilities on their cruises? I am booked in Feb on the Niew Amsterdam and am still unable to book a reservation to the Pinnacle.

[blizzardboy]

Is there a certain time frame, say number of days out from the cruise, that HAL opens up the booking capabilities on their cruises? I am booked in Feb on the Niew Amsterdam and am still unable to book a reservation to the Pinnacle.

 

It varies, but it seems to happen about 90 days out. Last year's Jan cruise, it was right around final payment date. We're departing mid-Jan and dining reservations aren't open yet.

Edited September 4, 2016 by blizzardboy

[kazu]

We were able to book about 6 months out on our last cruise, but I have noticed that any sailings earlier in the New Year (usually the first quarter) seem to take longer to open up. I am in the same boat ;)

 

I would guess 90 days out, but I just check on a regular basis since we have some nights we want to do it.

[Jalex63]

Thanks for the responses. However, if it is 90 days out I am going to have trouble because we will be on the Rotterdam on our 42 day cruise at that time.

 

This raises the question, is there anyway to book dining reservations on an upcoming cruise through the front office of a different ship? The real bottom line is that we want to book the Pinnacle for a group of six on Feb. 14, St. Valentines (our 30th anniversary) and I know that reservations for that night go fast.

[kazu]

Thanks for the responses. However, if it is 90 days out I am going to have trouble because we will be on the Rotterdam on our 42 day cruise at that time.

 

This raises the question, is there anyway to book dining reservations on an upcoming cruise through the front office of a different ship? The real bottom line is that we want to book the Pinnacle for a group of six on Feb. 14, St. Valentines (our 30th anniversary) and I know that reservations for that night go fast.

 

 

I see your dilemma. Keep checking and if they are not up say, two weeks before you go, call shipboard services and see if they can help or put in a request for you.

 

The Holland America site is free on board the ships I believe, so even if you are not taking a device, you could use the ship's computers to check and book the Pinnacle.

 

Just a thought. You could certainly ask the Pinnacle Grill manager on board, but they have no means to book the PG on another ship and will use the same means you would, I suspect.

Edited September 4, 2016 by kazu

[lazey1]

It seems to be much later on the cruises that have the Explore 4 bonus. Not sure why this would be as on the Explore 4 you can not pre-book the Pinnacle. You have to wait and see the Pinnacle manager on board to make your reservations.

[kazu]

It seems to be much later on the cruises that have the Explore 4 bonus. Not sure why this would be as on the Explore 4 you can not pre-book the Pinnacle. You have to wait and see the Pinnacle manager on board to make your reservations.

 

So, once Expore4 is over, it might open up? They don't give away prime times on Explore4. My "gift" of a free Canaletto was at 5:30 p.m. And we do late dining. Canaletto is not high on my list of things to do (except on the Prinsendam)and we had already done one, so I just cancelled the reservation.

[CHOPPERTESTER]

It may be more related if you have paid in full.

 

We booked a cruise for early Dec 2016 and were over 100 days out and were able to make reservations at Pinnacle, Tamarind and Canaletto pretty much any day and any time we wanted. The cruise fare was a Casino offer and you had to pay in full at the time of booking regardless of the normal "pay in full" deadline.

 

Can't confirm but you may not be able to book any excursions, dining etc until you are paid in full. Maybe someone else can confirm this.

 

I know that they do not let Explore 4 book times until they are onboard. Ditto for the dining packages on-line. Of course by then the times available can be limited. It seems the Explore 4 times are assigned regardless of what days/times you want.

[DaveOKC]

It may be more related if you have paid in full.

 

We booked a cruise for early Dec 2016 and were over 100 days out and were able to make reservations at Pinnacle, Tamarind and Canaletto pretty much any day and any time we wanted. The cruise fare was a Casino offer and you had to pay in full at the time of booking regardless of the normal "pay in full" deadline.

 

Can't confirm but you may not be able to book any excursions, dining etc until you are paid in full. Maybe someone else can confirm this.

 

I know that they do not let Explore 4 book times until they are onboard. Ditto for the dining packages on-line. Of course by then the times available can be limited. It seems the Explore 4 times are assigned regardless of what days/times you want.

 

You can book excursions anytime after you book the cruise. Not sure about dining though.

[CHOPPERTESTER]

You can book excursions anytime after you book the cruise. Not sure about dining though.

 

Do you pay for the excursion when you book it prior to final payment?

[dfish]

We were able to book about 6 months out on our last cruise, but I have noticed that any sailings earlier in the New Year (usually the first quarter) seem to take longer to open up. I am in the same boat ;)

 

I would guess 90 days out, but I just check on a regular basis since we have some nights we want to do it.

 

I thought I remembered hearing that for cruises in the early part of the new year dining took longer to open up because they hadn't yet finalized contracts for some of the specialty dinners.

 

We are anxiously waiting for dining to open up for our January cruise. So far, they only have Blend up.

[alwaysfrantic]

I can't book excursions yet (Alaska next spring). I keep looking for that and dining. Nothing yet

[Krazy Kruizers]

I can't book excursions yet (Alaska next spring). I keep looking for that and dining. Nothing yet

 

 

You are way too early.

This year's Alaskan season isn't even over.

Try in a few months for excursions.

[kazu]

You can book excursions anytime after you book the cruise. Not sure about dining though.

 

 

You can book dining as soon as it opens up. Timing varies on cruises.

 

Do you pay for the excursion when you book it prior to final payment?

 

Absolutely. Anything you book on line is charged to your credit card. If you are entitled to Mariner discounts (ie. Dinners) they are credited to you on board as an on board credit.

 

If you cancel your cruise, you are refunded immediately for anything you booked.

 

Waiting until you are onboard could mean no specialty dining (sold out on one cruise I was on unless you wanted to eat at 9 pm on a couple of nights) or excursions are sold out.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have always been able to book the Pinnacle (and on some ships the Tamarind) months in advance. Last fall we had the Explore4 on Eurodam in October. We booked the specialty restaurants way back in April/May of that year (2015).

[Jalex63]

Final payment for the cruise in question (Feb 11) falls in November when I will be on the Rotterdam. However, if as one responder mentioned I can access HAL thru an onboard computer I will be fine. Also, as far as I know this cruise is not an Explore 4, unless they added it after I booked. At least I know we don't have it.

[kazu]

Final payment for the cruise in question (Feb 11) falls in November when I will be on the Rotterdam. However, if as one responder mentioned I can access HAL thru an onboard computer I will be fine. Also, as far as I know this cruise is not an Explore 4, unless they added it after I booked. At least I know we don't have it.

 

Explore 4 was added to a lot of sailings. Just do a pretend booking and check;)

 

If that is the case, it will be off in a few weeks. February is tricky (we sail in March) but with luck, they will open up before you sail. Just keep logging in and checking. I would guess September and up, but despite saying that, I keep checking (we sail in March). HAL site has been free on board as long as we have been cruising ;)

[RuthC]

As I replied to you in the other thread where you asked this the other day, for the last several years HAL has delayed loading the specialty restaurant reservations into the computer for the new year until late in the previous year. Once that is done, they are open for several months (possibly the entire calendar year?).

 

Since you are looking to book for 2017, you should expect the reservations to be open probably by November, possibly sometime in October.

If you are aboard a different cruise, do as suggested and use the on-board computer to connect to the Holland America website without charge, and make your bookings.

[DaveOKC]

Do you pay for the excursion when you book it prior to final payment?

 

yes

[KirkNC]

You are way too early.

This year's Alaskan season isn't even over.

Try in a few months for excursions.

 

It varies, I can book excursions for our Prinsendam sail in Oct of 2017. They opened up a few weeks ago.