Dinner reservations

[Carla in Texas 61]

Does anyone have the email for the Vista's steakhouse & Cucina?

I would like to make reservations before we board. Thank you for your help.

[Txcroozer]

You can make reservations for both of those in your cruise planner online. Just beware you will have to pay up front for the reservations. 

[idraconis]

Don't understand the up front payment. It's new to me. What if you book and change you mind?

[bury me at sea]

2 minutes ago, idraconis said:

Don't understand the up front payment. It's new to me. What if you book and change you mind?

 

You'll be refunded to the original form of payment.  There may be a time period involved though I'm not sure.

[Cruiseman38]

1 hour ago, idraconis said:

Don't understand the up front payment. It's new to me. What if you book and change you mind?

 

People ruined just being able to just make a reservation without paying upfront as they were making the reservations and never showing up leaving, sometimes, the Steakhouse half empty.

 

A few ruined it for everyone.

[Jamesatgsu]

48 minutes ago, Cruiseman38 said:

 

People ruined just being able to just make a reservation without paying upfront as they were making the reservations and never showing up leaving, sometimes, the Steakhouse half empty.

 

A few ruined it for everyone.

That is reservations in general, and why most restaurants don't take them anymore. Personally I don't mind the idea of paying ahead for a reservation as long as I can get refunded if I cancel in a timely manner.

[Jerseygirl1416]

1 hour ago, Cruiseman38 said:

 

People ruined just being able to just make a reservation without paying upfront as they were making the reservations and never showing up leaving, sometimes, the Steakhouse half empty.

 

A few ruined it for everyone.

 

I doubt that’s the reason. I think the $ people figured out the sooner they get the revenue the longer they have to make money with it.

 

55 minutes ago, Jamesatgsu said:

That is reservations in general, and why most restaurants don't take them anymore. Personally I don't mind the idea of paying ahead for a reservation as long as I can get refunded if I cancel in a timely manner.

I don’t mind either except it stinks if you want to use OBC to pay for it. I wish they had OBC as a method of payment.

[bury me at sea]

2 minutes ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

 

I doubt that’s the reason. I think the $ people figured out the sooner they get the revenue the longer they have to make money with it.

 

I don’t mind either except it stinks if you want to use OBC to pay for it. I wish they had OBC as a method of payment.

 

This is a very valid point.

[Jamesatgsu]

4 minutes ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

I don’t mind either except it stinks if you want to use OBC to pay for it. I wish they had OBC as a method of payment.

Good point.  I never worry too much though because OBC offsets gratuities, but if you remove the auto gratuity (or a very substantial amount of OBC), it would at the very least be an inconvenience.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Jamesatgsu

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

 

I don’t mind either except it stinks if you want to use OBC to pay for it. I wish they had OBC as a method of payment.

 

Yep. I usually use OBC for dining....and will be on Panorama. Since they had the bug and you couldn't make a Teppanyaki reservation for months, I was able to make that reservation over email. I'm waiting until after I'm onboard for the steakhouse and jijis.

[Garth2]

2 hours ago, Jamesatgsu said:

That is reservations in general, and why most restaurants don't take them anymore. Personally I don't mind the idea of paying ahead for a reservation as long as I can get refunded if I cancel in a timely manner.

 

Your statement that most restaurants no longer take reservations is incorrect.

[Drinal01]

I think they mean that reservations without paying for them is no longer done...

 

I am a newbie so not sure.  I do know I booked my reservations via the website and paid for them.  Being over 6 months out I was able to get dates and times I wanted.

 

Being a newbie I tried all 3 restaurants 555, Italian and Asian.   The menu for Italian does not look that great...other two look amazing but I will try all three.  I don't get to go on vacation often so I will splurge this time.   

 

I got cut allot of other cost corners but dont want to cut out on food experiences.   Not sure if I will go to seafood restaurant but sushi will probably do.

[coevan]

1 hour ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

I doubt that’s the reason. I think the $ people figured out the sooner they get the revenue the longer they have to make money with it.

 

 

I think this is a ridiculous premise. A few thousand dollars is a drop in the bucket. Securing the reservation is much more logical. We book on board and never pay in advance.

[Jamesatgsu]

21 minutes ago, Garth2 said:

 

Your statement that most restaurants no longer take reservations is incorrect.

In my city, there isn't a single restaurant that takes reservations unless it is for a large party.  That wasn't true when I was a kid, where most sit down places took them.  There is call ahead seating, but not the same thing.

 

Now, if I go to the nice restaurants in the larger neighboring city, there are several that offer them, but they don't make up the majority of restaurants there.

[HillBilly Bob]

13 hours ago, Carla in Texas 61 said:

Does anyone have the email for the Vista's steakhouse & Cucina?  ...would like to make reservations before we board. 

You will have to use CCL website to make reservations.   They can be found under the "Manage" tab of their website.  

[Jerseygirl1416]

28 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

I think this is a ridiculous premise. A few thousand dollars is a drop in the bucket. Securing the reservation is much more logical. We book on board and never pay in advance.

I think you better go back to math class. Every reservation on every ship on every sailing every night in every time slot adds up to a hell of a lot more than a few thousand dollars. Get that much revenue say six months early and in this market you can make a lot on that investment.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Jerseygirl1416

[creef1014]

2 hours ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

 

I doubt that’s the reason. I think the $ people figured out the sooner they get the revenue the longer they have to make money with it.

 

I don’t mind either except it stinks if you want to use OBC to pay for it. I wish they had OBC as a method of payment.

 

Most of the specialty restaurants will give you a full refund as long as you cancel 24 hours before your reservation. As long as you don't want a reservation the first night and have a credit card with a little room you can play the system. 

 

What we do is, we set the reservations we want, and pay ahead of time. Then if we want to pay with OBC we go to the restaurant on the first day and cancel and rebook with the host/hostess. By the time you get back home every dollar has been refunded to your credit card. 

[Jerseygirl1416]

6 minutes ago, creef1014 said:

 

Most of the specialty restaurants will give you a full refund as long as you cancel 24 hours before your reservation. As long as you don't want a reservation the first night and have a credit card with a little room you can play the system. 

 

What we do is, we set the reservations we want, and pay ahead of time. Then if we want to pay with OBC we go to the restaurant on the first day and cancel and rebook with the host/hostess. By the time you get back home every dollar has been refunded to your credit card. 

Great idea! Thanks😊

[Eli_6]

Not sure on the Steakhouse, but I think the Chef's Table is a full refund so long as you cancel more than 24 hours in advance.  If you cancel within 24 hours, I think it is $25.  I can't imagine the Steakhouse would be more stringent than the Chef's Table, though.

[coevan]

2 hours ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

I think you better go back to math class. Every reservation on every ship on every sailing every night in every time slot adds up to a hell of a lot more than a few thousand dollars. Get that much revenue say six months early and in this market you can make a lot on that investment.

 

 

everything Carnival does is not so nefarious, it's much more logical that they want to secure tables. 

[RenoNanaOz]

16 hours ago, Carla in Texas 61 said:

Does anyone have the email for the Vista's steakhouse & Cucina?

I would like to make reservations before we board. Thank you for your help.

vsmaitred@carnival.com, give it shot you never know 😉

[Jerseygirl1416]

30 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

everything Carnival does is not so nefarious, it's much more logical that they want to secure tables. 

I’d call it capitalism. Nothing nefarious about it.
 

A ship full of thousands of people in the middle of the ocean shouldn’t have any trouble filling 1 or 2 restaurants. On the Breeze in December all the specialty restaurants were full consistently. 

[coevan]

did you stop by every hour to check out capacity? We have never seen the Steakhouse full, never

[Jerseygirl1416]

11 minutes ago, coevan said:

did you stop by every hour to check out capacity? We have never seen the Steakhouse full, never

Did you?

I called every day and only one day was offered 8:45 reservation. All other days full. 

Edited February 19, 2020 by Jerseygirl1416

[coevan]

much harder to say no in person, we have shown up several times and never refused service, BTW, like any restaurant in the world, obviously no one has any skin in the game.