Group of 10 - 3 night dining - or individual prebooked reservations?

[aururab]

I am sailing on the Feb 19 2023 sailing of Voyager of the Seas out of San Juan - over president's week with a group of 6 adults, 4 kids. 

Debating between making individual reservations for specialty dining, or the 3 night dining package. With the 3 night dining package I expect we would eat at chops twice, so it does save enough... 

But, how hard will it be to make dinner reservations onboard for a group on a relatively full ship? Should I just make all advance reservations? 

 

 

[taglovestocruise]

26 minutes ago, aururab said:

I am sailing on the Feb 19 2023 sailing of Voyager of the Seas out of San Juan - over president's week with a group of 6 adults, 4 kids. 

Debating between making individual reservations for specialty dining, or the 3 night dining package. With the 3 night dining package I expect we would eat at chops twice, so it does save enough... 

But, how hard will it be to make dinner reservations onboard for a group on a relatively full ship? Should I just make all advance reservations? 

 

 

Reservations for 10 during peak hours would be next to impossible if you wait until onboard to book.  I think you would be stuck with opening hour or well past 8pm. You could pay full price to secure your reservation time and then switch over to the 3 night pre purchased package and get a OBC issued. Your initial cost would be astronomical, upwards of $1200.  The OBC would take care of all gratuities and a bar tab as well as a chunk going back to your cc.  I would pick one dinner, pay full price and enjoy the two nights in the MDR. good luck and happy cruising

[aururab]

47 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Reservations for 10 during peak hours would be next to impossible 

The group department is trying to tell me that they have more availability on the ship than they have on their end. Any idea if that is true?

[LilBlackDress]

2 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

Reservations for 10 during peak hours would be next to impossible if you wait until onboard to book.  I think you would be stuck with opening hour or well past 8pm. You could pay full price to secure your reservation time and then switch over to the 3 night pre purchased package and get a OBC issued. Your initial cost would be astronomical, upwards of $1200.  The OBC would take care of all gratuities and a bar tab as well as a chunk going back to your cc.  I would pick one dinner, pay full price and enjoy the two nights in the MDR. good luck and happy cruising

 You can not change from pre-paid reservations to a package price. 

[taglovestocruise]

1 hour ago, LilBlackDress said:

 You can not change from pre-paid reservations to a package price. 

We have done it many times. Our Anniversary always fall during a late year TA.  We make a pre paid reservation or two and then once onboard we use a package night to make a switch, have never had a problem doing this over the last 15 - 20 years. Always receive a fully refundable OBC. happy cruising.. Just had a remembrance..  Mid Oct. we were on Quantum TP. We had a BOGO for night 8, Reserved and paid for on day 1,unknowingly we found out , somewhere around day 3,  out or TA gave us a specialty dinner.  We went to GS and used the TA perk to cancel the BOGO and were given a $78.00 OBC.

Edited December 30, 2022 by taglovestocruise

[taglovestocruise]

3 hours ago, aururab said:

The group department is trying to tell me that they have more availability on the ship than they have on their end. Any idea if that is true?

A lot of cruisers here on cruise critic say now that ships are sailing full it is very hard to get the nights and times they want for a specialty dinner if using a package. 

[aururab]

Well, the groups department is now telling me they can't make reservations for groups in advance...