Specialty Dining Reservations

[XBGuy]

I guess I'm not completely enchanted with this new restaurant reservation feature, but I understand Princess' point of view. If they are seeing that their competitors are offering this, then the easy thing for them to do is match it.

 

Typically, when we have cruised we would book two specialty restaurant reservations on embarkation day: one for that evening in one restaurant and one a day or two later in the other. Based on our experience we would book subsequent reservations with the headwaiter for evenings later on the cruise.

 

Now, I suppose I'll book those two initial reservations pre-cruise. I am OK with them hitting my credit card. For one thing, the .16% I'm earning at the bank is a laugh. So, the opportunity loss is not an issue. Also, I never have that much OBC. So, what I do have is, pretty much, eaten away by the daily gratuities.

 

As an idea for people who feel they will be unable to exhaust their OBC, you might consider signing up for the Chef's table. I'm guessing that this will not be on the personalizer reservation menu (might be wrong) and it will take out $95 per person.

[GRAYTech]

...For one thing, the .16% I'm earning at the bank is a laugh. So, the opportunity loss is not an issue.

 

That's .06 more than I'm getting! Think of those pennies I'm losing. :mad:

[cruisequeen4ever]

I'm so glad we can now pre-book, or at least Star pax can, but I wish we could pre-book without pre-paying.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[ccastner]

The pre reservation for specialty dining isn't available on all sailings nor do they require all sailings pre-pay excursions. I'm basing both on my next cruise leaving in 36 days

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Astro Flyer]

Based on the posts in this thread, currently it may only be on the Star Princess.

 

Either it's being tested on the Star or the Star is the first ship to have this change implemented. Only time will tell if this is a preview of a fleetwide change or not.

Edited November 16, 2016 by Astro Flyer

[HleeCruiser]

We are on the Crown in Feb 2017 and there is no opportunity to pre-book specialty restaurants on this sailing.

 

I might add that we have sailed Celebrity several times and they have pre-cruise reservations available. Never used the service. Always book after boarding and have never had a problem.

[jagoffee]

 

I might add that we have sailed Celebrity several times and they have pre-cruise reservations available. Never used the service. Always book after boarding and have never had a problem.

 

This is also our experience on Celebrity. We never book/pay in advance and never have an issue. In fact if you wait until you get on board you can often get discounts.

 

As Princess stated they will not book all the times in advance just like Celebrity.

 

In the past some people on Princess have complained about not being able to book in advance, so now they can.

 

IMO this is nothing to be concerned about.

[nanabananna]

Its too bad that its changing. :(

 

I agree and I am getting to old for changes...but I guess that is what our society is now days. I have no choice but to go with the flow and make the best of it.

 

Is this a "Be Happy" at least I am on a cruise, and that makes me happy!!:D

[taxatty]

We almost always go to the specialty restaurants or call as soon as we are on the ship to make reservations. Only once--the Regal inaugural Port Everglades sailing with all of the Carnival and Princess bigwigs and the Love Boat TV show crew present, has it not been possible to book on the day we wanted within an hour or so either way of when we wanted to eat. I'm not concerned with online bookings.

[Astro Flyer]

Thanks to those who posted their positive experiences on other cruise lines that allow pre-reserving specialty restaurants by making full payment. I'm hoping to have a similar experience in January on the Star & to not have problems making reservations on the ship to use OBC to pay for it.

[Nhsaltshaker]

It appears they are ramping up the website for my May cruise on the Star. They've added the pre-pay feature, but as someone else said, I can't book it 'yet'.

 

The Chef's Table is #1 on my list, as my travel companion is a foodie and I know she will love it. I found myself wishing it was available for pre-booking and now it appears that will happen. ?

 

Although, this could be (I hope it isn't) a double-edge sword. My last cruise, on a different line, they took my money for a Chef's Table experience only to cancel while on board because there weren't enough participants.

 

That REALLY annoyed me. I got credit as OBC. It is my strong opinion that Princess honors my request (and money) for Specialty Dining, or, they are going to have one rough passenger on their hands. I hope they do it right.

Edited November 18, 2016 by Nhsaltshaker

[riclop]

The recent Princess shore excursion policy change now requires full payment to pre-reserve a shore excursion beginning in summer 2017. That prevents us from pre-reserving a tour & using OBC to pay during the cruise. Even though we can still use OBC to book a tour onboard if tours are available, it further restricts how we can use OBC.

 

Checking my January cruise on the Star there is a new option to make "Specialty Dining Reservations" by making pre-payment. It's possible to book a specialty restaurant on a specific day at either 5:30, 7:30 or 9:30. While some passengers will be happy about this change, those of us who book onboard may not be able to get a reservation to use OBC to pay for it.

 

Here's their statement: "Any reservations using onboard credits or promotional specialty dining credits must be made onboard the ship. Additional dates and times may be available onboard. Once onboard, please call the DINE line to inquire about additional times, or to use an onboard or specialty dining credit to make reservations".

 

My recent cruise booking experiences have been that cruise fares are generally higher & complimentary OBC & gratuities reduce the net cost of my cruise. This change further devalues the complimentary OBC by making it less likely that I could use it for tours & now for specialty dining. I understand their need to be profitable but they're giving me more OBC while making it more difficult to use it.

 

I know that pre-payment for tours & restaurant reservations are done this way on other cruise lines and that Princess is making these changes because it "brings us in line with standard industry practice". Since Princess no longer wants to be a cruise leader and instead a follower of other cruise lines, there are now two fewer things that have kept Princess as our best cruise option.

 

I've attempted to make this post as objective & informative as possible but I understand that not everyone will feel the same way which is to be expected.

 

Thanks for the update.

[Astro Flyer]

It appears they are ramping up the website for my May cruise on the Star. They've added the pre-pay feature, but as someone else said, I can't book it 'yet'.

 

The Chef's Table is #1 on my list, as my travel companion is a foodie and I know she will love it. I found myself wishing it was available for pre-booking and now it appears that will happen. ?

 

Although, this could be (I hope it isn't) a double-edge sword. My last cruise, on a different line, they took my money for a Chef's Table experience only to cancel while on board because there weren't enough participants.

 

That REALLY annoyed me. I got credit as OBC. It is my strong opinion that Princess honors my request (and money) for Specialty Dining, or, they are going to have one rough passenger on their hands. I hope they do it right.

I can pre-reserve specialty restaurants by pre-paying for them for our January cruise on the Star & the CT is not an option because it's not a specialty restaurant which on the Star are only the Crown Grill & Sabatini's.

Edited November 19, 2016 by Astro Flyer

[Lucky TGO]

Same here .... We just won't go.

 

LuLu, I agree with you.

Tony

[Nhsaltshaker]

I can pre-reserve specialty restaurants by pre-paying for them for our January cruise on the Star & the CT is not an option because it's not a specialty restaurant which on the Star are only the Crown Grill & Sabatini's.

 

 

Good to know! Thanks!

[Astro Flyer]

I received a phone call from a Princess Customer Relations manager in response to my email about pre-reserving specialty restaurants by making advance payment.

 

Currently Star Princess is the only ship offering the specialty dining reservations with hopes of rolling it out fleet wide in the near future.

 

Princess understands any concerns about being able to make reservations onboard & using OBC to pay for it. However they also receive numerous requests for pre-reservations particularly from larger groups of passengers who want to dine together.

 

I prefer the current system but can understand there are other passengers who prefer to pay in advance to confirm a reservation. Apparently this is the procedure on most of their competitors & is something a segment of their passengers desire.

 

This change is new & they may be using the Star to fine tune the procedure before going fleetwide. I'll get to experience the change in a little over a month & I'm optimistic that there won't be any big effect on booking specialty restaurants & using OBC to pay for it.

[Nhsaltshaker]

Thanks for the update. Keep us in the loop. Have a great trip.

 

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

[caribill]

Princess understands any concerns about being able to make reservations onboard & using OBC to pay for it. However they also receive numerous requests for pre-reservations particularly from larger groups of passengers who want to dine together.

 

 

They still could have allowed pre-reservations and not required payment before the cruise.