Specialty restaurant reservations

[Orlando Vic]

I understand that if I make a reservation before embarkation in a specialty restaurant, my credit card is charged.

If I do this, once onboard, can the charge be refunded and my onboard credit be charged instead?

[Senga]

Yes.  We did this on Grand Princess last month.  The Guest Services personnel were very pleasant but completely untrained.  You may have to ask for a supervisor but it will be done.

[Orlando Vic]

Excellent!

Thanks very much.

[leck57]

6 hours ago, Senga said:

Yes.  We did this on Grand Princess last month.  The Guest Services personnel were very pleasant but completely untrained.  You may have to ask for a supervisor but it will be done.

 

I avoid visiting Guest Services whenever possible, usually due to the queue of people waiting.  So rather than book a Specialty Restaurant and get reimbursement for using OBC I just wait until I'm on board and book on the first day. Just yesterday I looked to book on the App but for every restaurant it gave one time option only (7.40pm for all) and that's too late for us. I didn't bother going through with it so I'll revert to my old system of book8ng on board. 

[pmallen]

I've been trying to use the medallion app toake a reservation at Sabatini's for our Feb '23 Panama Canal cruise, and only ever find reservations available for Crown Grille. Could it be fully booked ready?

[Papa Yoda]

 

Just go the restaurant on embarkation - there will be someone there - and book your reservation.

[leck57]

5 hours ago, pmallen said:

I've been trying to use the medallion app toake a reservation at Sabatini's for our Feb '23 Panama Canal cruise, and only ever find reservations available for Crown Grille. Could it be fully booked ready?

 

 I doubt it. The App is a complete waste when it comes to dining bookings.

[Orlando Vic]

3 hours ago, Papa Yoda said:

 

Just go the restaurant on embarkation - there will be someone there - and book your reservation.

The problem with that is that my cruise (to Sydney) begins in Vancouver but I don’t embark until 4 days later in L.A. (San Pedro), I am concerned that some of the choice days (e.g. formal nights) will be 100% booked.

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, Orlando Vic said:

The problem with that is that my cruise (to Sydney) begins in Vancouver but I don’t embark until 4 days later in L.A. (San Pedro), I am concerned that some of the choice days (e.g. formal nights) will be 100% booked.

Plus, all those Premier pkg purchasers who get SD reservations as part of the pkg.

[Sea Hag]

9 hours ago, leck57 said:

 

I avoid visiting Guest Services whenever possible, usually due to the queue of people waiting.  So rather than book a Specialty Restaurant and get reimbursement for using OBC I just wait until I'm on board and book on the first day. Just yesterday I looked to book on the App but for every restaurant it gave one time option only (7.40pm for all) and that's too late for us. I didn't bother going through with it so I'll revert to my old system of book8ng on board. 

When I was booking our specialty reservations, that's what I saw too. But then I figured out that you have to pull on the time to scroll. I did that and saw lots of other times.

[milolii]

I just made a reservation for Crown Grill, and  my credit was applied.  It was a suite credit, so not sure if that is different than onboard credit.  I also scrolled through the times to get the one  I wanted. 
 

 

[JimmyVWine]

9 hours ago, pmallen said:

I've been trying to use the medallion app toake a reservation at Sabatini's for our Feb '23 Panama Canal cruise, and only ever find reservations available for Crown Grille. Could it be fully booked ready?

Must be a glitch.  I see nothing for Sabatini's on my October cruise today, whereas Crown Grill is wide open. No way S fills up before CG.  Either there is a glitch somewhere, or Princess is getting ready to retire Sabatini's on certain ships.  My ship is Regal. What is yours?

[Senga]

On the Grand you could have shot a cannon through Sabatini’s and not hit anyone whereas CG was very busy.  If you love seafood Sabatini’s may fit the bill but it was a total waste for me.  Discovered I don’t like scamorza or baratta cheese, the chicken was tough and tasteless and the panna cotta rubbery.  The service was excellent though.

[sloopsailor]

13 hours ago, leck57 said:

 

 I doubt it. The App is a complete waste when it comes to dining bookings.

 

Worked fine for me. We're sailing on Royal Princess on March 12, 2023 and I was able to make all my reservations in the two MDRs that are scheduled to be open, and in Sabatini's and Crown Grill for our anniversary and my birthday. Got the times we wanted for every reservation with no issues. I did have to charge the specialty restaurants at time of booking, but no big deal. No different than charging the cruise deposit in advance. 

 

As someone else said, scroll through the times to select the one you want. 

Edited June 27, 2022 by sloopsailor

[abbydancer2003]

12 hours ago, milolii said:

I just made a reservation for Crown Grill, and  my credit was applied.  It was a suite credit, so not sure if that is different than onboard credit.  I also scrolled through the times to get the one  I wanted. 
 

 

I just looked and I had a notice about a dining credit (we had a specialty dinner included).  We have 7 people in 3 rooms, 5 have a credit, and 2 are in a suite.  I selected all 7 (travel companions), and picked a time.  The bill showed 203.00 and a dining credit of 203.00 for a total of 0.  We booked it.  By the way, DH is the card holder so I had to do it on his phone.

[pmallen]

12 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Must be a glitch.  I see nothing for Sabatini's on my October cruise today, whereas Crown Grill is wide open. No way S fills up before CG.  Either there is a glitch somewhere, or Princess is getting ready to retire Sabatini's on certain ships.  My ship is Regal. What is yours?

We're on the Emerald.

[Papa Yoda]

6 hours ago, Senga said:

On the Grand you could have shot a cannon through Sabatini’s and not hit anyone whereas CG was very busy.  If you love seafood Sabatini’s may fit the bill but it was a total waste for me.  Discovered I don’t like scamorza or baratta cheese, the chicken was tough and tasteless and the panna cotta rubbery.  The service was excellent though.

 

Sorry to hear that it wasn't good for you.  We were on Grand in April and the Sole Picatta was excellent, truly memorable.  Agree on service, plus we were able to walk in one night.

[leck57]

18 hours ago, milolii said:

I just made a reservation for Crown Grill, and  my credit was applied.  It was a suite credit, so not sure if that is different than onboard credit.  I also scrolled through the times to get the one  I wanted. 
 

 

 

Thanks to you and @Sea Hagfor your comments. I hadn't noticed the option up the top of the screen to pick a time, only the time that was listed against each restaurant. A very easy process if you know how!

Even though I had sufficient credit to cover the booking my credit card has been charged, however I'll use the OBC on other things.

Thanks again.

[roxievegas]

We were on the Ruby a few weeks ago.  We received a specialty dinner as one of the perks of the princess plus at the time we booked.  As soon as we got on board, my husband went to the Crown Grill to book a day and time that we wanted.  He was told that he was already booked and they could not change his day or time as they were totally booked for the cruise (10 day cruise).

 

We went to our cabin and there was a card on the desk says that we had a complimentary dinner and our time and date was listed.

 

The Crown was open every other day.  The serving time was horrible.  Over two hours.  Our reservation was for 6:00 and we were seated next to the check in stand - everyone who came in had to wait as the earlier diners were not finishing up - so there was no where for them to sit - people not happy.

 

Food was excellent - timing not so good

[JimmyVWine]

On 6/27/2022 at 12:42 AM, pmallen said:

I've been trying to use the medallion app toake a reservation at Sabatini's for our Feb '23 Panama Canal cruise, and only ever find reservations available for Crown Grille. Could it be fully booked ready?

As of this morning it looks like the glitch has been fixed and both Sabatini and Crown Grill show up as options on my Regal cruise. Based on what I am reading here about availability, I went ahead and booked a reservation even though my App does not show my credit to apply to the meal.  So I will keep an eye out for my credit card charge and will go to the PSD once on board to get the charge reversed.  Not the best option, but the one that assures me of getting the table that I want, when I want it. 

[Senga]

12 hours ago, Papa Yoda said:

 

Sorry to hear that it wasn't good for you.  We were on Grand in April and the Sole Picatta was excellent, truly memorable.  Agree on service, plus we were able to walk in one night.

As stated, my husband, who loves seafood enjoyed his meal.  I don’t eat any fish (or veal) so my options were limited.

[wp bob]

some ships are doing Sabatini every other night alternating with Crown Grill due to staff shortages or closed if number of passengers are low.

[magnolia888]

23 hours ago, Senga said:

If you love seafood Sabatini’s may fit the bill but it was a total waste for me. 

Was the menu different from the one on the Princess website? The sample menu doesn’t seem very seafood-heavy, it shows just a few items on the whole menu, and only one seafood pasta.
 

Sabatini

 

Does anyone have a link to a more recent menu, particularly on the Sky? My husband may be less interested in going if they’re mostly offering fish. But so long as lasagna is still being offered, he’ll be good.

[peagreenid]

On 6/26/2022 at 9:11 PM, leck57 said:

 

I avoid visiting Guest Services whenever possible, usually due to the queue of people waiting.  So rather than book a Specialty Restaurant and get reimbursement for using OBC I just wait until I'm on board and book on the first day. Just yesterday I looked to book on the App but for every restaurant it gave one time option only (7.40pm for all) and that's too late for us. I didn't bother going through with it so I'll revert to my old system of book8ng on board. 

If you open the app they all have a default time.  Mine is 8:10PM as you can see below and each specialty restaurant is listed at 8:10 PM.  But there is a dropdown box that says "SELECT TIME" that I have circled in red below it gives you the ability to switch the time.   Scroll up or down until the time you want is highlighted and it will change the default time. 

 

[caribill]

22 hours ago, leck57 said:

 

 

Even though I had sufficient credit to cover the booking my credit card has been charged, however I'll use the OBC on other things.

 

 

OBC cannot be used pre-cruise to pay for a specialty restaurant.

 

If you had a complementary specialty restaurant benefit (as a cruise perk or being in a full suite), then you can make a pre-cruise reservation and it is supposed to recognize the perk and not charge a credit cartd.