Crown - Da Vinci vs Botticelli Dining Rooms

[momfrommn]

I'm in the process of making dinner reservations for the Crown, sailing January 6th.  We prefer a set time and we like to share a table.  We've always eating in the Botticelli.  Who has eating dinner in both the Da Vinci and Botticelli?  Which do you prefer?  I know the menus are the same but how about the décor, etc.?  Thank you in advance.

[Sea Hag]

29 minutes ago, momfrommn said:

I'm in the process of making dinner reservations for the Crown, sailing January 6th.  We prefer a set time and we like to share a table.  We've always eating in the Botticelli.  Who has eating dinner in both the Da Vinci and Botticelli?  Which do you prefer?  I know the menus are the same but how about the décor, etc.?  Thank you in advance.

I've eaten in both, but not on the Crown, so I can't comment on decor. I was always choose Da Vinci over Botticelli, because of the inadequate waiting area outside the Botticelli. It was a total mess on our Halloween cruise of last year on the Ruby. Others have not had this problem, so it might have been a one-off. But moving forward, I'll never choose Botticelli again.

[mom says]

I've noticed no difference in the decor or service. (Although we've  only eaten lunches in Da Vinci) Nor have I seen a long line at the entrance to Botticelli  except for the first night.  The only difference is that you can't walk, straight back on deck 6 to get to Botticelli; you need to use the aft stairs/elevators to reach it. We have a standing reservation, same table in Botticelli and just walk in and sit down.

Edited November 30, 2022 by mom says

[PacnGoNow]

21 minutes ago, mom says said:

I've noticed no difference in the decor or service. (Although we've  only eaten lunches in Da Vinci) Nor have I seen a long line at the entrance to Botticelli  except for the first night.  The only difference is that you can't walk, straight back on deck 6 to get to Botticelli; you need to use the aft stairs/elevators to reach it. We have a standing reservation, same table in Botticelli and just walk in and sit down.

You don’t have to check in each night?

[Sea Hag]

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

You don’t have to check in each night?

We had the same table every night in the Boticelli on the Ruby, and we still had to stand in the line (the long, long line) every night. If anybody else was able to just walk in, then I'm very happy for them.

[PacnGoNow]

2 hours ago, Sea Hag said:

We had the same table every night in the Boticelli on the Ruby, and we still had to stand in the line (the long, long line) every night. If anybody else was able to just walk in, then I'm very happy for them.

Yep.  We have to stand in line every night, just to check in and told our same table is not guaranteed every night.  Even though it is 5pm DaVinci party of 2.  

We booked same time, same MDR, private table every night.

Goofy policy.

[mom says]

We booked our 7:20 dining time online before boarding (Botticelli). After dinner the first night we asked the Maitre d' for the same table each night. Every night since then we just show up and are waved in with them saying " your table is waiting, enjoy your dinner". Very simple. Very quick.

Edited December 1, 2022 by mom says

[PacnGoNow]

2 hours ago, mom says said:

We booked our 7:20 dining time online before boarding (Botticelli). After dinner the first night we asked the Maitre d' for the same table each night. Every night since then we just show up and are waved in with them saying " your table is waiting, enjoy your dinner". Very simple. Very quick.

Seems the MDR’s varied in the beginning of the Crown cruise.  But now they are letting people go to assigned tables too in the DaVinci MDR. They still check you in, as they can see your cabin no as you pass by the podium.  

They should do this on all ships.

[Mike45LC]

Many years ago, I complained to the Maitre D' about the dangerous crowding outside the Botticelli Dining Room waiting for the doors to open for Late Seating.  The waiting area is small, and lots of people in wheelchairs and scooters were trying to exit the elevators, pushing into the already crowded area.  Many of us were forced to go upstairs and wait on the stairway.  I quickly learned to arrive a few minutes late, after the doors had already opened and the crowd seated.

 

[martinitime1]

19 hours ago, mom says said:

We booked our 7:20 dining time online before boarding (Botticelli). After dinner the first night we asked the Maitre d' for the same table each night. Every night since then we just show up and are waved in with them saying " your table is waiting, enjoy your dinner". Very simple. Very quick.

We had the same experience on the Emerald T/A we just did, After the first couple nights, we just walked right to our table #90. The staff just smiled and said enjoy your dinner.

[Yehootu]

On 11/30/2022 at 8:49 PM, PacnGoNow said:

Seems the MDR’s varied in the beginning of the Crown cruise.  But now they are letting people go to assigned tables too in the DaVinci MDR. They still check you in, as they can see your cabin no as you pass by the podium.  

They should do this on all ships.

Thread drift, but what were the Formal nights on the 28day cruise?

  Mahalo

[PacnGoNow]

12 minutes ago, Yehootu said:

Thread drift, but what were the Formal nights on the 28day cruise?

  Mahalo

Aloha!  
3rd full sea day, Nov 12, 3rd sea day after Kauai Nov 19,  Capt party & formal Nov 30 and last one Dec 5…2 days before disembarking on Dec 7.

Drifting…