Making Dinner Reservations

[mnocket]

I tried searching for an answer, but either the search function is severely limited, or I don't know how to properly use it.

 

So, we're taking our first Windstar cruise on the Pride in a little over a month.  Can someone give me the inside scoop on making reservations for the specialty restaurants?   It's a 21 Night cruise so I'm assuming we'll want reservations for several nights.  Since it seems we can't make reservations until we board, what's the best way to proceed?  Specifically, we tend to prefer to be flexible and not plan dinners way in advance.  Will this be a problem?  Is there typically a mad rush upon boarding to book dinner reservations?  If we don't book all our specialty dinners on the first day, do we risk the reservation books filling up and we'll miss out?  How common is it that people can show up without reservations and get seated due to cancellations? Obviously, I have no idea how this works on Windstar.  Any advice is appreciated.

[minidonuts85]

If you have your heart set on a particular day and time, book it right when you arrive. They usually have a table set up at check in. 
We’ve been able to squeeze in without a reservation at times but we called the restaurant or saw the reception desk  first to see if they could get us in. 

[new_cruiser]

If it's a 21-night cruise, it is probably a cruise collector (2 or more consecutive segments booked with one fare). They only take reservations for the current segment and you can reserve one night in each specialty restaurant for the segment. So you can pick two nights in the first segment to make reservations for Candles and Cuadro 44 when you board. Then do that again at the start of each segment. 

 

As minidonuts mentions, later in the cruise, you may be able to schedule a second night in a specialty reservation if space is available. Since most segments are 7 or 8 days, I usually find that once for each restaurant is what I want. I have asked for and gotten a second time on a longer segment (13 day ocean crossing). You could also just show up and ask if you can get in, but on the few occasions I've done it, I've asked in advance. 

 

The Star Grill is open for dinner on itineraries depending on weather. That doesn't need or take reservations. If the daily schedule says it's open, you just show up if you want. 

[r&rd]

Usually everyone is allowed to make reservations for 1 night in Candles and 1 night in Cuadro 44 when you first board- after everyone has had a chance to book you can go back for additional nights if available. Depending on how full the ship is one or the other of the restaurants will be closed on certain nights. I have never had a problem getting reservations and often the Maitre D will offer us additional nights when there are openings.

[mnocket]

47 minutes ago, new_cruiser said:

If it's a 21-night cruise, it is probably a cruise collector (2 or more consecutive segments booked with one fare). They only take reservations for the current segment and you can reserve one night in each specialty restaurant for the segment. So you can pick two nights in the first segment to make reservations for Candles and Cuadro 44 when you board. Then do that again at the start of each segment. 

 

As minidonuts mentions, later in the cruise, you may be able to schedule a second night in a specialty reservation if space is available. Since most segments are 7 or 8 days, I usually find that once for each restaurant is what I want. I have asked for and gotten a second time on a longer segment (13 day ocean crossing). You could also just show up and ask if you can get in, but on the few occasions I've done it, I've asked in advance. 

 

The Star Grill is open for dinner on itineraries depending on weather. That doesn't need or take reservations. If the daily schedule says it's open, you just show up if you want. 

Yep, it's a 7-day + 14-day.  So I can book 1 meal in each restaurant for the first segment and then repeat for the second segment.  I can book after boarding, but no need to rush unless I really care about a particular day & time.  Got it.  Thanks.👍

[r&rd]

We’ll see you on both of those sailings! 

[new_cruiser]

2 hours ago, mnocket said:

Yep, it's a 7-day + 14-day.  So I can book 1 meal in each restaurant for the first segment and then repeat for the second segment.  I can book after boarding, but no need to rush unless I really care about a particular day & time.  Got it.  Thanks.👍

I have always booked on the first day of the segment. I have no experience with whether it sometimes books full. Cuadro 44 is pretty small so bookings might run out if the ship occupancy is high - especially on a 7-night sailing. One night all the restaurants will be closed because of the deck BBQ, so there are at most 6 nights of bookings available on a 7-night sailing.

 

It can be nice to book Candles for a night when you have a late-ish sail-away so you can watch the sail-away while eating. Then pick a sea day or a shortish port day for Cuadro. 

 

Also, since you haven't been to Cuadro before, you might book the first time early in the first cruise so you know if you want to try for a second night later in the segment. 

Edited July 14, 2023 by new_cruiser

[Strenz]

We are on that cruise starting 9/6. I am looking forward to the Cuadro  restaurant. We love Candles going out of a big port watching the life of a harbor. Our favorite was the night of the Tall Ships cruise August 2015, we left out of Oslo and ate at Candles going down the Oslo Fjord, glorious. We are hoping for a nice evening going down the St. Lawrence, the starboard side of the ship should be prime viewing for the North Coast, which is magnificent. Hope to eat at Candles that night.  Happy Calm North Atlantic to us all. 

[AmateurGO]

Depending on just what cruise/itinerary you are on, we may be seeing some of you also...  We are on the 9/2 Star Pride around Iceland.  

After 6 cruises on the  Wind* ships, this will be our first Star* trip, so will have to check out the Cuadro restaurant.

If anyone has been on a cruise around Iceland previously, I'd be interested in any suggestions or thoughts regarding clothing or weather gear, or anything else useful.

[mnocket]

15 hours ago, AmateurGO said:

Depending on just what cruise/itinerary you are on, we may be seeing some of you also...  We are on the 9/2 Star Pride around Iceland.  

After 6 cruises on the  Wind* ships, this will be our first Star* trip, so will have to check out the Cuadro restaurant.

If anyone has been on a cruise around Iceland previously, I'd be interested in any suggestions or thoughts regarding clothing or weather gear, or anything else useful.

I've read a lot about how to dress for Iceland, but this will be my first visit - so no personal experience.  In September it averages 45 degrees F, but can vary considerably.  The most frequent advice is to dress in layers.  The most important advice imho is to be prepared for wind & rain.  This means raingear and waterproof hiking boots. Iceland seems to be one of those places where you can't let rain stop you from getting out and about. It seems the wind makes umbrellas ineffective (I notice I don't see them in photos).   I'm from Colorado and it's much colder than 45 here during the winter, but I understand that windchill and rain can make it very unpleasant in Iceland if you aren't prepared. Plus, 45 is just the average and it could be even colder.   Looking forward to experiencing this adventure with you🙂

[AmateurGO]

Being from Atlanta area, and from Florida before that, 45F seems cold to us.  At least I don't think we will need the "Clamp-ons" that we got when we planned a winter visit to Iceland in 2020.  We only got as far as Boston on that trip when a lack of communication between Jet Blue and Iceland Air, combined with a predicted major storm, ended that trip before it really started.  We also got lightweight waterproof hiking boots for that trip, which we will use now.  (We did make good use of them in Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu last year.) 

Layers it is...  or will be.   See you on board.

[hamrag]

5 hours ago, mnocket said:

.....In September it averages 45 degrees F, but can vary considerably....

Whilst that is true, my son cruised round Iceland a few years back and the temps were 65-70 with abundant sunshine. I certainly wouldn't plan for such, but it can happen!