Dining venues

[vino100]

I’m so excited to be sailing on my first Crystal cruise in September. I’m not sure how you book the specialty restaurants. Am I too early to reserve? Am I restricted to only a certain amount per venue ? 

[Keith1010]

Congratulations on sailing on your first Crystal Cruise. I hope you have a great time.

 

If you have not done so already go to the Crystal Cruises web site and if on a computer look to the top where it say My Account.  You will need to create a user id (e-mail) and password to access your account. and that is where you will provide some information.  You will also use this to make all your reservations.  At the present time 120 days prior to your sailing you can make specialty restaurant  reservations and that is one each at Umi Uma, Osteria and Tastes.  Once on board you can make additional ones based on availability.  Tastes has not cost for additional reservations. The other two do but that depends on the length of your voyage.

 

The following is from one of the question and answers on the Crystal website:

 

Keith

 

 

Our restaurants are complimentary, except for The Vintage Room. For our specialty restaurants, Umi Uma by Nobu Matsuhisa Restaurant and Sushi Bar and Osteria d'Ovidio, guests will be allotted one complimentary reservation for two people per voyage of up to 11 days (more than one for more extended stays - see below). In addition, guests staying in Crystal Penthouse or Junior Crystal Penthouse Suites can enjoy unlimited free visits.

• Up to 11 days: One complimentary reservation to each restaurant 
• 12 to 22 days: Two complimentary reservations to each restaurant
• 23 or more days: Three complimentary reservations to each restaurant

Reservations above the complimentary allotment will be $50 per person.

[USCAdventurer]

keith,

as per the quote in your post, "Uma by Nobu Matsuhisa Restaurant and Sushi Bar and Osteria d'Ovidio, guests will be allotted one complimentary reservation for two people per voyage"  would this mean that a solo traveler would be entitled to two complimentary reservatikons for specialty reservations?  just curious about this.

[Keith1010]

12 minutes ago, USCAdventurer said:

keith,

as per the quote in your post, "Uma by Nobu Matsuhisa Restaurant and Sushi Bar and Osteria d'Ovidio, guests will be allotted one complimentary reservation for two people per voyage"  would this mean that a solo traveler would be entitled to two complimentary reservatikons for specialty reservations?  just curious about this.

David, I think they wrote it with two people on the booking in mind.

Keith

[USCAdventurer]

i think you're probably right but i thought i'd ask anyway!

[Gregrat]

1 hour ago, USCAdventurer said:

i think you're probably right but i thought i'd ask anyway!

Now that’s what I call thinking outside of the box.

Excellent!

[vino100]

Thanks for all this info. 
How does one reserve for a party of eight ? 

[Keith1010]

1 hour ago, vino100 said:

Thanks for all this info. 
How does one reserve for a party of eight ? 

To reserved for anyone greater than those on one booking, you need to get their names and booking numbers and send to on board guest services. This counts towards their one pre reservation for the restaurant you want to dine at.  Best to do it sooner rather than later as there are not many 8 person tables. You need to note date/time.

 

Keith

[USCAdventurer]

i found out how to notify guest services via email.  their email address is  OBGS@crystalcruises.com

[Jimmycruiser]

On 2/20/2024 at 7:20 PM, Keith1010 said:

Congratulations on sailing on your first Crystal Cruise. I hope you have a great time.

 

If you have not done so already go to the Crystal Cruises web site and if on a computer look to the top where it say My Account.  You will need to create a user id (e-mail) and password to access your account. and that is where you will provide some information.  You will also use this to make all your reservations.  At the present time 120 days prior to your sailing you can make specialty restaurant  reservations and that is one each at Umi Uma, Osteria and Tastes.  Once on board you can make additional ones based on availability.  Tastes has not cost for additional reservations. The other two do but that depends on the length of your voyage.

 

The following is from one of the question and answers on the Crystal website:

 

Keith

 

 

Our restaurants are complimentary, except for The Vintage Room. For our specialty restaurants, Umi Uma by Nobu Matsuhisa Restaurant and Sushi Bar and Osteria d'Ovidio, guests will be allotted one complimentary reservation for two people per voyage of up to 11 days (more than one for more extended stays - see below). In addition, guests staying in Crystal Penthouse or Junior Crystal Penthouse Suites can enjoy unlimited free visits.

• Up to 11 days: One complimentary reservation to each restaurant 
• 12 to 22 days: Two complimentary reservations to each restaurant
• 23 or more days: Three complimentary reservations to each restaurant

Reservations above the complimentary allotment will be $50 per person.

Per the website it says reservations not required at Tastes. Can you still make reservations ahead of boarding on the website for Tastes?

[ryndam]

16 minutes ago, Jimmycruiser said:

Per the website it says reservations not required at Tastes. Can you still make reservations ahead of boarding on the website for Tastes?

Yes.

[Texas Tillie]

1 hour ago, Jimmycruiser said:

Per the website it says reservations not required at Tastes. Can you still make reservations ahead of boarding on the website for Tastes?

 

No reservations for Tastes at lunch, but reservations at dinner, unless that's changed in the past few weeks.

 

Patty

[vino100]

Thanks again for all the great info. 

[Keith1010]

5 hours ago, Jimmycruiser said:

Per the website it says reservations not required at Tastes. Can you still make reservations ahead of boarding on the website for Tastes?

Yes it is as it was before. Crystal recommends making reservations for dinner and using My Account you can make one for dinner ahead of time as you can for Osteria and Umi Uma.  

 

Keith

[History&Wine]

I dined at Tastes tonight. With only 390 on board there were more empty tables than those dining.  Although Tastes is a reservation restaurant as Keith mentioned I doubt that will be needed on this segment.   Tastes was quite busy on the first leg.

 

The chimichurri tonight was excellent.  
 

Dwight
 

 

[travelberlin]

9 hours ago, Jimmycruiser said:

Per the website it says reservations not required at Tastes. Can you still make reservations ahead of boarding on the website for Tastes?

During my cruise you could dine at Tastes also without reservations. It was not very busy. 

[Keith1010]

Like most things availability for dinner at Tastes will vary by evening and by cruise. If the cruise has high occupancy it will be more challenging without a reservation and if you are not flexible.  On cruises with lower occupancy less than an issue.

 

With that said, making reservations are easy ahead of time using My Account and once on board the ship either doing it yourself or asking the Butler to do this for you. Personally , I prefer having a reservation so I know for sure we can be seated and because it makes it far easier for the Food & Beverage team to plan evening resources.  There are times when resources have to be reallocated from Waterside to Tastes or from other dining venues to Waterside.  

 

Yes, I realize sometimes there is a need for spontanaety if one is returning from a late tour, had planned say to go to Waterside  but decided at the last minute to dine at Tastes.

 

All of this is a reminder that no two cruises are precisely the same and that incudes whether or not it is easy to seat at the Sushi Bar in Umi Uma.  Just saying.

 

Keith

[travelberlin]

I have just made reservations for my cruise with the Symphony for this sommer and the only two restaurants available to make reservations were Umi Uma and Osteria. Tastes was not offered for reservations. 

Ivi

 

[Stickman1990]

14 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

No reservations for Tastes at lunch, but reservations at dinner, unless that's changed in the past few weeks

No that’s the requirements now although I’m told given the numbers on board that it’s easy enough to get a table there in the evening 

[FlyerTalker]

So....is it reservations recommended or required?  Seems like right hand and left hand aren't talking.

 

 

[History&Wine]

21 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

So....is it reservations recommended or required?  Seems like right hand and left hand aren't talking.

 

 

Recommended.   We just walked in last night.   
 

This obviously matters with a full ship.  I very much doubt reservations will be needed on any night of this segment.  

[travelberlin]

Recommended or required I could not make them online. I guess it would have to be done after we board. I am more interested now on Tastes due to the cooperation with the Beefbar.

[May B]

3 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

Recommended or required I could not make them online. I guess it would have to be done after we board. I am more interested now on Tastes due to the cooperation with the Beefbar.

I predict that the procedure for Beefbar will not match the procedure for Tastes.

 

What signature dish from Tastes do we think they’re keeping at Beefbar?

[skybluewaters]

11 minutes ago, May B said:

What signature dish from Tastes do we think they’re keeping at Beefbar?

 

Given that Beefbar's menu is heavily weighted towards beef, I suspect that the surviving Tastes dinner dishes might be gambas al ajillo, hamachi crudo, and/or ahi tuna poke. There's no need to keep chimichurri steak on the menu. Looking forward to finding out in person!

[travelberlin]

16 minutes ago, skybluewaters said:

 

Given that Beefbar's menu is heavily weighted towards beef, I suspect that the surviving Tastes dinner dishes might be gambas al ajillo, hamachi crudo, and/or ahi tuna poke. There's no need to keep chimichurri steak on the menu. Looking forward to finding out in person!

I agree, most probably those will remain.