Speciality Restaurant on Embarkation Day

[gargoyle999]

DW and I will be on the Sapphire in two weeks. This will be our first Princess cruise and so we are going to try out Sterling's and Sabatini's. DW is suggesting we go to one on the evening of embarkation and the other the last sea day.

 

My question is, are the specialty restaurants available on embarkation night? If so, what is the best way to make a reservation for the first night once you are onboard?

[RickEk]

DW and I will be on the Sapphire in two weeks. This will be our first Princess cruise and so we are going to try out Sterling's and Sabatini's. DW is suggesting we go to one on the evening of embarkation and the other the last sea day.

 

My question is, are the specialty restaurants available on embarkation night? If so, what is the best way to make a reservation for the first night once you are onboard?

 

Good question. I'm not sure if they're open on embarkation day, but I'm sure someone here will tell us. :D

 

Definitely go by Sabatini's on embarkation day and make your reservations for either venue. There will be someone at a desk who can help you. We did Sterling's on the day we were in PV after sailaway. Very nice... you can't go wrong ordering a steak :p. And just remember to go to Sabatini's very... very hungry!

[md sailor]

We are booked on Ruby Princess leaving on next Valentines Day. We wanted to celebrate the birthday of one of our friends sailing with us at one of the specialty restaurants. We had the travel agent call Princess to attempt to make a reservation but he was told they would not accept advance reservations. His advice to us was as soon as you board the ship immediately go to the restaurant and see the maitre'd to make a reservation for that evening. You might wish to tip the captain or maitre'd for his service.

:cool:

[md sailor]

We are booked on Ruby Princess leaving on next Valentines Day. We wanted to celebrate the birthday of one of our friends sailing with us at one of the specialty restaurants. We had the travel agent call Princess to attempt to make a reservation but he was told they would not accept advance reservations. His advice to us was as soon as you board the ship immediately go to the restaurant and see the maitre'd to make a reservation for that evening. You might wish to tip the captain or maitre'd for his service.

[tvaud]

DW and I will be on the Sapphire in two weeks. This will be our first Princess cruise and so we are going to try out Sterling's and Sabatini's. DW is suggesting we go to one on the evening of embarkation and the other the last sea day.

 

My question is, are the specialty restaurants available on embarkation night? If so, what is the best way to make a reservation for the first night once you are onboard?

 

Yes, the specialty restaurants are open on the first night. Just find the reservation table(time and place posted in the Patters) or call the reservation line to book it. Do this as soon as you embark, because the spaces book up quickly.

[gargoyle999]

Yes, the specialty restaurants are open on the first night. Just find the reservation table(time and place posted in the Patters) or call the reservation line to book it. Do this as soon as you embark, because the spaces book up quickly.

 

Ok thank you! We'll try and get to a phone as soon as we get onboard and call. Not sure if we can go straight to our cabin to call. Or maybe we'll just wander by Sabatini's and see if there is anyone there that can help us. But we'll plan on going to one the first night then.

[RickEk]

Ok thank you! We'll try and get to a phone as soon as we get onboard and call. Not sure if we can go straight to our cabin to call. Or maybe we'll just wander by Sabatini's and see if there is anyone there that can help us. But we'll plan on going to one the first night then.

 

It'd be best to wander by... I find the phone lines are really busy the first day. When we were on the Sapphire a couple of weeks ago, they had two desks setup outside Sabatini's... one to deal with dining room issues and the other for Sabatini's and Sterling reservations.

[cynbar]

We have eaten at the specialty restaurants on embarkation night and found it a very nice start to our cruise. Plus, we usually find the main restaurants more chaotic on the first night, people are tired from traveling and still trying to settle in and figure everything out. The only exception to the specialty restaurant was on our Crown cruise out of San Juan --- they were not open the first night, perhaps because of the 11:00 pm departure and the late lifeboat drill.

[LENORA516]

When we sailed on the CB in July they had a table set up at the pool area for reservations and another set up in front of Sabatinis (one was taking reservations on the hour the other on the half hour but I can't remember which was which!)

 

Lenore

[Tak8]

You have to realize that if your ship leaves late, then the specialty restaurants will not open untl later. I did the Christmas cruise on the Crown last year and because the ship didn't sail until 11 which meant drill was between early and late seating, the specialty restaurants did not open until after the drill, about 9 pm. A little late for my preference.

[bigguy6]

On our 2 most recent Princess cruises (Grand and Caribbean) A desk was set up in front of either Sabbitinis or the Crown Grill starting at 1:30 on embarkation day. You should go to this desk ASAP after 1:30 to make all your specialty restaurant reservations. As to exactly where the desk will be look at your Patter as soon as you get to your cabin. Have heard that embarkation night tends to be the least crowded night in the specialty restaurants.

[gargoyle999]

Can you make reservations for any day during the week or is it only same day. It would be nice if we could just show up at Sabatini's and make a reservation for that night for one and the last sea day(night) for the other.

[NRG]

We just returned from the Crown today and had dinner at Sabbatini's on the first night. It was a free promotion we received by booking the cruise using our American Express card and included a bottle of champagne. It was not busy and a very pleasant way to start the cruise. Call and make your reservations when you board the ship. We walked past Crown Grill many times during dinner hours and it never looked very busy so don't worry about it. You don't need to tip anyone to make a dinner reservation, just call from your cabin.

[Woodmnky]

Can you make reservations for any day during the week or is it only same day. It would be nice if we could just show up at Sabatini's and make a reservation for that night for one and the last sea day(night) for the other.

Yes, you can make your reservations for the entire week on the first day.