Are dinner reservations required in Luminae

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Biggest group I've ever been involved with in Luminae was 8.  We were all in high-end suites, so we would go to specialty restaurants occasionally.  We were on M class, so not much choice.  When we were going to go to a specialty restaurant, we would let the maitre d' know the night before not to expect us.  And sometimes some would go to a specialty and some would remain in Luminae.  Communication is key.

[DaKahuna]

12 hours ago, chemmo said:

We also tend to avoid dining between 7pm and 8pm as we found service was less prompt and in particular wine service.

 

 We were curious about why the wine service varied from night to night.  In Luminae there is a single sommelier who is responsible for drink service.  As many of you who sail in the Retreat and eat in Luminae may know, there is no bar in the restaurant.  Therefore, when someone orders a mixed drink, the sommelier has to go to a bar to prepare that drink.  On M-Class, it's the Rendezvous Lounge, on S-Class it's the Passport Bar, and I have no idea where they get them on the E-class. Anyway, the more people order cocktails versus mines, the more time the sommelier spends outside the restaurant.  

 

Just some food for thought.  

 

[bEwAbG]

I thought it was the assistant waiter who would fetch bar drinks.  That has been my experience at least.  On one cruise, one of us ordered a champagne cocktail the first night, and he kept bringing one every night, even though it was unwanted.

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, bEwAbG said:

I thought it was the assistant waiter who would fetch bar drinks.  That has been my experience at least.  On one cruise, one of us ordered a champagne cocktail the first night, and he kept bringing one every night, even though it was unwanted.

 

 It may depend on who you place your drink order with.  I guess you could order a drink from you assistant waiter but we've usually only ordered drinks from our sommelier. 

 

 On Millennium in May it was the Sommelier.  I saw him at the bar making the drinks one evening when we stopped to listen to the performers after having finished out dinner earlier.  I even asked him about it the next day.  

 

 

[chemmo]

5 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 It may depend on who you place your drink order with.  I guess you could order a drink from you assistant waiter but we've usually only ordered drinks from our sommelier. 

 

 On Millennium in May it was the Sommelier.  I saw him at the bar making the drinks one evening when we stopped to listen to the performers after having finished out dinner earlier.  I even asked him about it the next day.  

 

 

Certainly the number of guests ordering mixed drinks vs wine is harder work for someone be it the sommelier or assistant waiter. However, I simply think it is the number of guests in Luminae between 7 and 8 that can slow drinks service as it does the food service.