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Specialty Dinning reservation prior to cruise, NOW AVAILABLE!

jillyfish

By jillyfish,
in Princess Cruises

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Astro Flyer

Astro Flyer

Posted
Posted
While checking me reservation a new option apear on the top.....

Specialty Dining reservation.

Attached is the screen shot

It's being discussed in another current thread but based on those posts this option hasn't been implemented fleetwide yet with only reports of it currently being available on the Star, Ruby & Grand...what ship are you sailing?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2457714

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princessfanboy

princessfanboy

Posted
Posted
It's being discussed in another current thread but based on those posts this option hasn't been implemented fleetwide yet with only reports of it currently being available on the Star, Ruby & Grand...what ship are you sailing?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2457714

 

 

 

On the Grand :D

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AF-1

AF-1

Posted
Posted

I have a question. I have the same specialty dinner offer in my cruise account; but is not listed for first day of cruise. Do you think this is because of the first night free dinners that people get from either Princess or their travel agent? Thanks. BTW; we do have a free specialty dinner reservation already in our onboard account.

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aquilegia

aquilegia

Posted
Posted

If you can't make a reservation for the first night, it's probably as crows nest club says because of the full suite perk. But if that's when you want to go, just ring the DINE line as soon as you get on board. I did that on Emerald last June (we were only in a balcony) and to my surprise not only was I able to get a booking for Crown Grill for that night but I could choose my own time. CG wasn't full when we were eating either. It seems as though not all suite passengers avail themselves of this (unless they were all in Share, which I doubt). Perhaps they manage to get the perk transferred to another night.

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Daisyloo

Daisyloo

Posted
Posted
We like to go when we decide onboard not weeks or months ahead of time.

We don't rush anywhere when we board.

We also don't want to go at 5:30/7:30/9:30.

We don't plan our meals ahead of time.

I imagine it will fill fast and most will be unavailable if at the last minute we want to head to the specialty restaurant.

 

 

I don't think you need to worry. HAL has had the ability to book on-line for specialty restaurants for years. We always book a night in each specialty restaurant before the cruise, and often add a night or two once on-board. We have never had an issue with non availability. I wouldn't think Princess will be too much different.

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HaveDogWillTravel "Live from...." Rare

HaveDogWillTravel

Posted
Posted
Interesting. We are cruising on the Grand Princess in September. Sure enough, when I went to the Cruise Personalizer just now, there was a link to book specialty restaurant reservations.

 

We always dine in one of the specialty restaurants on embarkation day. Interestingly enough, embarkation day was not one of the options available for either Sabbatini's or Crown Grill. So, I really doubt that I will use this new feature. I can imagine a couple reasons why embarkation day is not offered as an option. A specialty restaurant dinner was included in the price of my ticket. So, I'll see what day that is scheduled when we arrive at our cabin. If it is not for embarkation day, I'll just call the DINE line and make my own reservation.

 

Yes, the times that were offered for either Sabbatini's or Crown Grill were limited to 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30. I, personally, am comfortable with this limitation, and it makes sense to me. I am sure they want to have the flexibility to offer times to passengers who book onboard.

Perhaps they don't offer embarkation night since full suite passengers get this night included in the fare and they can't risk not accommodating them?

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LeeW

LeeW

Posted
Posted

Now can book advanced reservations for Bayou Cafe and Sabatini's for Island Princess in April. Cannot book UBT. As others have said, this is pay in advance so cannot use onboard credits. New tab in the personalizer.

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blkspy

blkspy

Posted
Posted
I called them and asked and was told you cannot reserve in advance. I was very disappointed because I've heard they book up fast. The second I get on board the first thing I'm going to do is find the restaurants and make my reservations and hope that's fast enough.

Actually you can, as you've most likely read by now. Without laying out hundreds of dollars the set up doesn't allow booking of groups. No one outside of a family gathering wants to prepay for a big group.

 

Contrary to popular belief, Princess will assist you in booking large groups WITHOUT advance payment. Not on the Princess 800 number level, but at the Corporate level. Princess is wonderful in working with large CC groups. We've booked 52 in the Crown Grill on a past RETREATERS Group Cruise and we have a smaller group booked next week on a cruise. Our Group which meets on the Regal has booked 115 for the Main Dinning Room, 40 for Alfreado's and as I've stated 52 in the CG in Advance.

 

Odd thing, if you book more then 16 at a time, theres an attempt to have everyone served from a fixed menu... so beware if you are that large.

 

Princess has a video on YouTube of the CC RETREATERS Group from the Regal Princess. We are 215 plus and growing.

 

Regal Princess Halloween Cruise 2016...take a look if you can. Enjoy your Crown Grill dinners everyone...

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msmoger

msmoger

Posted
Posted

Besides for not knowing in advance of my "vacation" exactly where and when I want to eat a specific dinner :rolleyes:, I don't like the idea that they give you 3 set dinning times. We always eat later and I have never had an issue getting a reservation between 8:00 and 8:30. However, 9:30 is ridiculous.

 

I suppose they're doing this because the other cruise lines already have this in place and of course for revenue reasons, but I personally think it is unnecessary.

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hllwdcruiser Great Review Rare

hllwdcruiser

Posted
Posted
I am able to book the specialty restaurants now on both of my booked cruises -Regal and Ruby.

 

I would prefer to use the sizable OBC in both cases, therefore I will take my chances and book once onboard.

 

 

When are you sailing on the Regal? I'm on a March sailing and I looked on my personalizer today and cannot see any link to make a reservation.

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XBGuy

XBGuy

Posted
Posted
Besides for not knowing in advance of my "vacation" exactly where and when I want to eat a specific dinner :rolleyes:, I don't like the idea that they give you 3 set dinning times. We always eat later and I have never had an issue getting a reservation between 8:00 and 8:30. However, 9:30 is ridiculous.

 

I suppose they're doing this because the other cruise lines already have this in place and of course for revenue reasons, but I personally think it is unnecessary.

 

 

I really think they are limiting the times in order to have flexibility accommodating passengers who do not want to make an on-line reservation.

 

While I think the idea of allowing people to make reservations prior to the cruise is excellent, there are many people, who like to "make it up as they go along." To a certain extent, I am more that type of person than a "plan every minute before we ever board the ship" type. Now, in fact, we do generally have dinner in one of the specialty restaurants (which one really doesn't matter) on embarkation evening. So, I went to the personalizer to book one. Well, what do you know? You can't book a reservation for embarkation evening on the personalizer. So, I plan to call the DINE line and book reservations at each the restaurants when I arrive at my cabin: one for embarkation evening and one for the next evening. I've never had a problem getting a reservation by, at the latest, 8:30. Typically, I make subsequent reservations with the headwaiter as I'm leaving a given venue. Being on a cruise we feel we have all kinds of flexibility when dining, if one time is not available, the headwaiter will suggest an alternative time, and, generally, that works out. So, if I ask for 7:30, and there are no 7:30 slots available (because they were all booked on-line), I am OK with 7:00 or 8:00 or whatever.

 

I think you will find that it is going to work out OK for you.

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