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Specialty Dining Cover Charge


sotiris
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Is it possible to purchase a “coupon” for the cover charges at the Specialty Restaurants.  We currently have Princess Plus but would like to try one of those restaurants. I guess the other option would be to go a la carte. Thanks for any info.

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Make your reservation.  If before your cruise, you pay via credit card.  If already on your cruise, the charge will be on your onboard account.  To my knowledge, all specialty dining has a set cover charge.  Usually, something like $39.

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10 minutes ago, HotRoot said:

Make your reservation.  If before your cruise, you pay via credit card.  If already on your cruise, the charge will be on your onboard account.  To my knowledge, all specialty dining has a set cover charge.  Usually, something like $39.

Plus 18% now

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, sotiris said:

Is it possible to purchase a “coupon” for the cover charges at the Specialty Restaurants.  We currently have Princess Plus but would like to try one of those restaurants. I guess the other option would be to go a la carte. Thanks for any info.

Yes, it’s possible to make a reservation ahead of your cruise via the Web version or the app for a specialty restaurant. ( example :the Catch / CrownGrill)No coupon per se. Could add OBC to account,but defeats purpose in my opinion -just make a specialty dining reservation.

Your Princess plus does not have anything to do with making a reservation for a specialty restaurant. Your credit card will be charged upon reservation.


Are you thinking of the casual dining restaurants?( example: Vine ,O’Malleys, Salty dog gastro pub, Alfredo’s) Those do not usually take reservations. Your Princess plus cruise fare includes two casual meals per voyage per person. Depending on what ship you’re on ,some ships have quite a few casual dining restaurants and some have slim Pickens.


If you have a significant amount of onboard credit and you want to use that for your specialty dining  you need to wait till you’re on board to make reservations.

Edited by arizonaperson
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3 hours ago, memoak said:

Plus 18% now

When I make and pay for reservations on the app prior to the cruise, I am never charged the 18%.  Will I see an 18% charge on my account once I am on board?

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Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

When I make and pay for reservations on the app prior to the cruise, I am never charged the 18%.  Will I see an 18% charge on my account once I am on board?

I have read that your specialty dining will incur an 18% service charge if booked after Dec 1, 2023.
It’s added when you dine. (According to the website but someone else who’s dined there recently can confirm that.) 

 

The gratuity is included if it is a Premium or Suite perk. 

 

Edited by paddingtonbear
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8 minutes ago, paddingtonbear said:

I have read that your specialty dining will incur an 18% service charge if booked after Dec 1, 2023.
It’s added when you dine. (According to the website but someone else who’s dined there recently can confirm that.) 

 

The gratuity is included if it is a Premium or Suite perk. 

 

Thanks.

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1 hour ago, coo359a2 said:

Dined at Crown Grill in April on the Ruby and May on the Grand and both times the charge was  $92.04 for the two of us.  

Did you pre-book? We are wanting to confirm that the 18% is charged not at the time of booking but after you dine. 

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I recently pre booked Crown Grill and Sabatini's  for our February, 2025 cruise on Emerald Princess. Price charged to my credit card for Crown Grille was $39.00 per person and Sabatini's was $35.00 per person and did not include the 18% gratuity, which I expect will be charged to my account on the day of dining.

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3 hours ago, paddingtonbear said:

Did you pre-book? We are wanting to confirm that the 18% is charged not at the time of booking but after you dine. 

We have never pre-booked as we use our OBC.  Also, have never had a problem getting a reservation for a table for 2 or 5 at our regular eating time of 5:30

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6 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

We have never pre-booked as we use our OBC.  Also, have never had a problem getting a reservation for a table for 2 or 5 at our regular eating time of 5:30

And we never have and an issue booking on board for after 7:30. No need to book in advance

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19 hours ago, paddingtonbear said:

Did you pre-book? We are wanting to confirm that the 18% is charged not at the time of booking but after you dine. 

Can't speak to the practices used down under...but for US we have *never* been charged anything extra other than the base cover charge, very often $39 per person.

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9 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Can't speak to the practices used down under...but for US we have *never* been charged anything extra other than the base cover charge, very often $39 per person.

In April we were charged 18% gratuity when dining in The Catch on Majestic.

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2 minutes ago, HotRoot said:

In April we were charged 18% gratuity when dining in The Catch on Majestic.

When you pre-booked prior to the cruise?  That's what is being discussed...

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2 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

When you pre-booked prior to the cruise?  That's what is being discussed...

No.  Made the reservation onboard.  Shipboard account was charged $39 pp plus 18% gratuity.  I have only booked pre cruise when I have a package and then there is no charge.  

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9 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Can't speak to the practices used down under...but for US we have *never* been charged anything extra other than the base cover charge, very often $39 per person.

I don't cruise from Australia.  Always go overseas. 

 

I have read that your specialty dining will incur an 18% service charge if booked after Dec 1, 2023.  This still seems to be correct. 

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14 hours ago, HotRoot said:

No.  Made the reservation onboard.  Shipboard account was charged $39 pp plus 18% gratuity.  I have only booked pre cruise when I have a package and then there is no charge.  

Question, how did you book with the package and not be charged? We have a gifted first night specialty dinner with our suite but when I tried to book the site wanted my CC#? Is there a place you go for no charge?

Thanks

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1 minute ago, latebloomer56 said:

Question, how did you book with the package and not be charged? We have a gifted first night specialty dinner with our suite but when I tried to book the site wanted my CC#? Is there a place you go for no charge?

Thanks

I booked all of our dining via the web app.  When I booked specialty dining, I got a message something like - your premier package dining credit will be used for this reservation.  We have never stayed in a suite so I am not familiar with the gifted first night dinner.

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17 minutes ago, HotRoot said:

I booked all of our dining via the web app.  When I booked specialty dining, I got a message something like - your premier package dining credit will be used for this reservation.  We have never stayed in a suite so I am not familiar with the gifted first night dinner.

Thank you I guess we can wait until we board to check availability.

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24 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:

Question, how did you book with the package and not be charged? We have a gifted first night specialty dinner with our suite but when I tried to book the site wanted my CC#? Is there a place you go for no charge?

Thanks

When you're in a suite, you don't have to book first night specialty dinner ahead of time. They will bend over backward to get you the day/time/restaurant. When we were in a suite (one and only time), we did the first night without issue. We went to the desk at Crown Grill after we boarded and the only question was "where would you like to sit tonight". We booked a second night for Sabatini's and were never charged. So we actually got 2 dinners.

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17 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

When you pre-booked prior to the cruise?  That's what is being discussed...

So? This forum is for people to ask & provide info.

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