Newbie question about specialty dining

[kstrittm]

Apologies in advance for this question - I'm sure it exists SOMEWHERE on the forum, but my searches have not yielded the answer I seek.

 

I will be sailing in a PH A suite on the Splendor in September.  It will be my first with RSSC, but I am a seasoned cruiser on other lines.  I'm confused about specialty dining.  What are the specialty restaurants?  Chartreuse, Pacific Rim, Prime 7, and Sette Mari?  Or just the first 3?

 

How many reservations can I make for each restaurant?  I assume just one per, but would appreciate confirmation.

 

Is it difficult to get additional reservations once on board?

 

Thank you so much!

[wcsdkqh]

First 3. One reservation for each per cruise segment.  Sette Mari does not require/accept reservations. First come, first serve

[Lonedaddy]

1 hour ago, kstrittm said:

 

Is it difficult to get additional reservations once on board?

 

Thank you so much!

depends on the length of the cruise longer cruises of course have more slots.  The explorer class ships have larger facilities and generally easier to get than the others with two specialty dining venue.  Many days especially sea days.   You can eat lunch at the specialty dining at no charge and they have many of the menu items for lunch.  Pacific rim will be easiest.  A butler can assist in getting additional reservations especially if you are flexible on the times slots.  

[ChucktownSteve]

When we sailed Splendor in a Deluxe E, we had no problem getting additional reservations once onboard in any of the specialty restaurants if we didn't mind sharing.  It was 16 night Panama Canal. Sometimes we didn't even have to share but we like meeting new people.  There's such a good caliber of friendly people we've found on our three Regent cruises.

 

I also felt the Compass Rose MDR menus, with both every day and nightly entrees, to be superior to many other line's specialty restaurants.

Edited April 15 by ChucktownSteve

[DavidTheWonderer]

If you drop by one of the speciality restos at, say, 6 PM, sometimes reservations have been cancelled and you get the slot. If not, then you will have to settle for the gruel in Compass Rose.

[GMIAC]

Sharing tables is a gamble I don’t like taking. Most fellow passengers are lovely, of course, but we could end up with a sourpuss like the woman at the table next to ours at Pacific Rim the other night who didn’t like where they were seated and pouted about it The. Entire. Time. 

[flossie009]

31 minutes ago, GMIAC said:

Sharing tables is a gamble I don’t like taking.

You could be missing out on some interesting dinner companions 

[pappy1022]

And maybe some real duds. It’s a crap shoot.

[papaflamingo]

Just to add... you can likely get into one of the speciality restaurants without a reservation on boarding day. People seem to like to go to Compass Rose on that night so there is extra tables.  In fact, on Grandeur in Jan. and Explorer in Feb. when we checked into Compass Rose they asked us if we'd like to go to either Prime 7 or Pacific Rim as they had tables immediately available. So we took off and grabbed Pacific Rim both times!  😎

[jimcruser]

Yes but my wife is stuck having dinner with me all the time. Poor woman.

[frantic36]

2 hours ago, flossie009 said:

You could be missing out on some interesting dinner companions 

This is true flossie as we have some friends we met that way but we have also encountered people we could definitely never want to spend time with again. To difficult to explain here. That's why now we prefer to meet people elsewhere and then hook up of dinner after a pre dinner chat.

[RetiredandTravel]

Sette Mari has a full a la carte menu (waiter service) and an additional buffet.  It fills up quickly so its important to arrive near 6:30 when it opens to be assured of getting a seat.  The second seating around 8.

 

[GMIAC]

2 minutes ago, RetiredandTravel said:

Sette Mari has a full a la carte menu (waiter service) and an additional buffet.  It fills up quickly so its important to arrive near 6:30 when it opens to be assured of getting a seat.  The second seating around 8.

 

We put our name in at the host stand and tell them we’re going for a drink and to call down to whichever lounge in 45 minutes or so. Works every time.  

[tobewan]

Also, note that the spec restaurants may be open for lunch on sea days.

[flossie009]

7 minutes ago, tobewan said:

Also, note that the spec restaurants may be open for lunch on sea days.

Only on the newer ships; and a completely different menu to the evening service.

 

[Back Roader]

We sailed on Grandeur for a 7 night Caribbean cruise at the end of February and stayed in a Penthouse suite. When the dining reservations department first opened we had no problem getting a table for 2 at our requested time. Once on board, our butler got us an additional reservation for 2 at Chartreuse which is our favorite restaurant on Explorer, Splendor and Grandeur. I don't think you will have a problem and will enjoy all three specialty restaurants.