2 Meal Dining Package

[hallux]

25 minutes ago, brookie848 said:

We just book for four and go from there.

The only venue where it really matters is Teppanyaki, otherwise every other venue just gives you a table for 4 anyway...

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, brookie848 said:

We always have issues booking for three as well -- it is not available or only available at weird times. We just book for four and go from there.

I have never seen an option for 3.

[Mike A]

We are 5 and I book for 6 since 5 is not an option. Not a problem. They just remove one place setting away. 

[brookie848]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I have never seen an option for 3.

I remember seeing it at some point, but it was only for the first or last seating of the day and maybe only one restaurant. The funny thing is that we sail in the Haven and I always book the day reservations open for us, so the chances of other groups booking the 7:00 reservations for 3 before me are pretty slim.

 

We just book for four and three of us show up. We don't book Teppanyaki, so we're not preventing someone from booking at that time.

[UKstages]

guys, the math is really simple.

 

a table for two also seats one.

 

a table for four also seats three.

 

a table for six also seats five.

 

i personally have never seen an odd number in the drop down menu.

 

and i, too, book at 130 days.

[KeithJenner]

You did used to get reservations for 3 occasionally, often in specific restaurants. For example I have a couple of confirmations from the Spirit where all were for 3, other than the Italian where we booked 3. This was back in 2019. On the POA all of them were for 3.

Only even numbers were available on our recent cruise.

 

[insidecabin]

11 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

Agreed, it never hurts to ask, but keep your expectations realistic. It would be very unusual for them to make an exception on this.

I suspect the reason for the no transfer rule is to stop say a couple that want to add 5 extra dinners buying a 10 dinner package($269) rather than 2x5 dinner(2x$169=$338) to save $69

 

Not needed as a block on the free at sea, giving room for flexibility on policy.

 

 

  

[argyll1881]

On 2/12/2022 at 6:28 PM, TTimmy58 said:

I booked today and the promo is for 2 specialty dinners but after booking 1 I get a message saying there is a conflict with something already in my cart but nothing is in my cart. I called and asked and was told I could just wait until I am onboard to make reservations so I guess that what I will do but I read where if you don't make reservations ahead of time there may not be any left. Been years since I cruised and I'm not sure how all this works.

There has been a glitch with the ordering system.  I experienced something similar but worked through it with my cruise consultant.  We had to make about 6 bookings before the 2 that I wanted stuck and didn't auto delete overnight.

[KeithJenner]

19 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

I suspect the reason for the no transfer rule is to stop say a couple that want to add 5 extra dinners buying a 10 dinner package($269) rather than 2x5 dinner(2x$169=$338) to save $69

 

Not needed as a block on the free at sea, giving room for flexibility on policy.

 

 

  

That is exactly the reason for the rule, and I agree that there is less need for it in this instance.

 

However, I have heard a few times of people asking and being told no. I don’t recall them ever having said yes. I’m sure that they have done, and could do in this case, but I know what I would expect the answer to be.

[phillygwm]

On 2/12/2022 at 1:20 PM, TTimmy58 said:

Also thought it was strange since I am a solo cruiser that the only option for reservations was for 2 people.

Or even numbers.  I travel in a cabin solo, though usually with friends so our dinner party is 3 or 5.  You just make a reservation for the next even number.  

[alibabaxx]

We are wanting to add our 16 year old to our speciality dining bookings (we have 2 free reservations for myself and my husband).  Is it best to add a package of 2 meals on extra before boarding ie is it cheaper to do so?  Or is it same price on board?   I believe my younger son can eat off kids complimentary menu at the speciality restaurants

[KeithJenner]

2 hours ago, alibabaxx said:

We are wanting to add our 16 year old to our speciality dining bookings (we have 2 free reservations for myself and my husband).  Is it best to add a package of 2 meals on extra before boarding ie is it cheaper to do so?  Or is it same price on board?   I believe my younger son can eat off kids complimentary menu at the speciality restaurants

It is the same price onboard. We usually buy in advance to avoid having to do it when you are on holiday (when we have done it onboard we needed to purchase the  package and then queue up at guest services to get a new keycard - probably took 30 minutes in all.

 

The other potential disadvantage to waiting is in case there is a price increase. You don’t tend to get any warning in advance of that.

 

If you have on board credit then it may be worth waiting to use that.

 

Depending on how old your younger son is, I would keep expectations in check regarding the kids menu. Our son stopped ordering off it when he was about 10.

[KKB]

3 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

It is the same price onboard. We usually buy in advance to avoid having to do it when you are on holiday (when we have done it onboard we needed to purchase the  package and then queue up at guest services to get a new keycard - probably took 30 minutes in all.

 

Actually I am seeing an "upgrade offer" for $70 for 2 meals vs. the usual price of $109

[KeithJenner]

1 minute ago, KKB said:

Actually I am seeing an "upgrade offer" for $70 for 2 meals vs. the usual price of $109

Yes, that is an offer available to people who have taken the free at sea meals. It gives the option of another two meals at about a third off.

 

It won’t help the person asking the question as they are looking to buy meals for someone who doesn’t have the free at sea ones, so there won’t be an option to upgrade that.

[alibabaxx]

6 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

Yes, that is an offer available to people who have taken the free at sea meals. It gives the option of another two meals at about a third off.

 

It won’t help the person asking the question as they are looking to buy meals for someone who doesn’t have the free at sea ones, so there won’t be an option to upgrade that.

Yes I've just seen that and it is only for the first 2 guests 

[alibabaxx]

9 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

It is the same price onboard. We usually buy in advance to avoid having to do it when you are on holiday (when we have done it onboard we needed to purchase the  package and then queue up at guest services to get a new keycard - probably took 30 minutes in all.

 

The other potential disadvantage to waiting is in case there is a price increase. You don’t tend to get any warning in advance of that.

 

If you have on board credit then it may be worth waiting to use that.

 

Depending on how old your younger son is, I would keep expectations in check regarding the kids menu. Our son stopped ordering off it when he was about 10.

He's 12 but I know he wouldn't like the speciality meals... he's more a chicken nuggets and pasta kind of child 😄 

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, KKB said:

Actually I am seeing an "upgrade offer" for $70 for 2 meals vs. the usual price of $109

It is o.k. if you only want two more meals. If you want more than that, it may be cheaper to buy the regular package. 

[CaliCarol2022]

So with the "2 meal dining package", is that meals for 2 at 2 different specialty restaurants or meals for 1 at 2 different specialty restaurants? I am a solo traveler and this is confusing.

[KeithJenner]

3 minutes ago, CaliCarol2022 said:

So with the "2 meal dining package", is that meals for 2 at 2 different specialty restaurants or meals for 1 at 2 different specialty restaurants? I am a solo traveler and this is confusing.

The purchase is per person, so it is a meal for one at two restaurants. A couple would both need to purchase the package.

 

If you purchase it then you will get a meal for yourself at two restaurants.

[ziggyuk]

If you are on a short cruise it's really worth considering the Free At Sea upgrade as this gives you the same two extras meals but also unlimited internet, premium plus drinks package and $50 excursion credit for the second person, the cost is $49pp per a day.

You get those two extra meals regardless of cruise length.

 

We have been able to cover one persons dally fee for FAS+ on our next (7 day) cruise just with the excursion credit alone. It is therefore a no brainer for us to get Premium Plus drinks, unlimited internet and 2 extra meals for $350 (£270 (great exchange rate)) That is $175 (£135)PP.