What exactly does “courtesy reservation” on a dining plan mean?

[Mr. Moonlight]

I’m getting so much conflicting information.  According to the written terms of our three night dining plan, “A courtesy reservation will be made for Day 1 or 2 of your sailing.”  I’m hearing so many people say that all this means is that RC selects a time slot for you, and you still have to select a restaurant upon boarding, which may or may not be available.  To be sure, that would make the “courtesy reservation” ridiculously meaningless.  Others have said that RC does select the restaurant for you, and some of those folks say the restaurant RC usually chooses is Chops.  I’m confused.  Which is it?  (Follow up question:  if RC selects the restaurant, how and when do you find out?)

[1025cruise]

If you buy the dining plan, RCI will make your first reservation for you, then you can make your own reservations for the remaining nights based on availability. You can also change the made reservation to one of your choosing, based on availability.

[RFerrington]

5 hours ago, Mr. Moonlight said:

To be sure, that would make the “courtesy reservation” ridiculously meaningless

I totally agree with you.  The courtesy reservation is entirely meaningless.  ...on the other hand, I have never had a problem changing whatever reservation they make for me so I guess it's a harmless, meaningless maneuver.

 

[Mr. Moonlight]

9 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

If you buy the dining plan, RCI will make your first reservation for you, then you can make your own reservations for the remaining nights based on availability. You can also change the made reservation to one of your choosing, based on availability.

Thank you, 1025cruise.  I do understand that they make what they call a "reservation,"  but do the reserve a particular restaurant for you?  And if they don't, what is it that the "reservation" reserves?

[smokeybandit]

Think of it more as a placeholder reservation than a courtesy one.

[molly361]

I've had the UDP several times and never have known if and/or when and what restaurant my courtesy reservation was made for.  I just went to a restaurant with my list of restaurants days and times and made them.  Not once was the courtesy reservation ever mentioned to me

[Mr. Moonlight]

24 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Think of it more as a placeholder reservation than a courtesy one.

But if it doesn’t hold a restaurant, what place does it hold?🤔

 

[smokeybandit]

Just now, Mr. Moonlight said:

But if it doesn’t hold a restaurant, what place does it hold?🤔

 

Poolside chairs.

[orville99]

In our experience, the "courtesy" reservation is a meaningless placeholder. We always go to one of the specialty restaurants as soon as we board (usually Chops depending on the ship) and make reservations for whichever restaurants/dates/times we want on all of the evenings of the cruise. We have yet to be told that the "courtesy" reservation date/time/restaurant is unchangeable.

[orville99]

15 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I've had the UDP several times and never have known if and/or when and what restaurant my courtesy reservation was made for.  I just went to a restaurant with my list of restaurants days and times and made them.  Not once was the courtesy reservation ever mentioned to me

Our experience exactly😇

[orville99]

33 minutes ago, Mr. Moonlight said:

And if they don't, what is it that the "reservation" reserves?

All it appears to be is an accounting trick to make sure they don't oversell any of the dining plans. We have had occasions where DW had to make her "courtesy' Reservation on the first night and I had to make mine on the second night because the system would not let the two of us reserve at the same time when we tried to purchase the package for both of us on the cruise planner.

[HicksRA]

I don’t think I’ve ever been notified on the ship as to when or where my “courtesy” reservation was. 
I just have the concierge make all reservations if in a suite or make them first day if not. 
Meaningless is a perfect description. 

[taglovestocruise]

We have had a package on every cruise in the last 10 years. There has never been a standing reservation made for us. They simply keep tract of how many are buying specialty restaurants.

[MellowMel]

You don't have a reservation time, it's just a reservation for a 3-night package. When you board, go to any of the specialty restaurants and you can make all 3 of your reservations then.