I'm confused - have a question about making dinner reservations?

So we are now able to make dining reservations for our 11/29 cruise on FOS.

We know we wanted to do Chops on our CoCo-Cay day, so I went to reserve it, and you have to pay today? We will have $200 of onboard credit, so that's what we planned to use for specialty dinners. I don't really feel like spending a couple hundred of my own money right now for those...

Do you suggest waiting until we board to make those reservations? Will it be too late? I've never had to pay up front for a restaurant reservation before.

thanks!

Yes, all pre-made reservations whether for specialty dining or excursions must be paid upfront. You can take your chances and book once you are onboard, but no one can tell you if the reservations you want will still be available.

Yes, all pre-made reservations whether for specialty dining or excursions must be paid upfront. You can take your chances and book once you are onboard, but no one can tell you if the reservations you want will still be available.

Hmm. Well, we don't plan to eat until 8 or later and can be flexible...

Guess we'll take our chances - that's what we planned the onboard credit for. :)

Thanks.

Hmm.

 

Guess we'll take our chances - that's what we planned the onboard credit for. :)

Just take your chances. The odds are in your favor IMHO. :) You might not get the exact time you want but if you are a little flexible that night Im betting they get you in with no problem.

I also have a large OBC as well and plan on reserving specialty dining once Im onboard.

Just go straight to Chops once you board and make your reservation.

I just seen your edit about your preferred dining time. If you are planning on eating at 8 or after, I highly doubt there will be an issue accommodating you. :)

Just take your chances. The odds are in your favor IMHO. :) You might get the exact time you want but if you are a little flexible that night Im betting they get you in with no problem.

 

I also have a large OBC as well and plan on reserving specialty dining once Im onboard.

 

Just go straight to Chops once you board and make your reservation.

Great, thanks!

I just seen your edit about your preferred dining time. If you are planning on eating at 8 or after, I highly doubt there will be an issue accommodating you. :)

Yes, that's about the time we make reservations at home.

I honestly have no idea what's a good time to eat dinner on the cruise though. We aren't big show people, so mostly our nights (we think) will consist of eating dinner and having some cocktails in a bar after.

Does 7:30 - 8:00 sound like a reasonable time? Or do you think sooner?

I'm so clueless planning this trip....

Yes, that's about the time we make reservations at home.

 

I honestly have no idea what's a good time to eat dinner on the cruise though. We aren't big show people, so mostly our nights (we think) will consist of eating dinner and having some cocktails in a bar after.

 

Does 7:30 - 8:00 sound like a reasonable time? Or do you think sooner?

 

I'm so clueless planning this trip....

I think you will do better if you are ok with 8pm or a little after. Im not sure how late they reservations up until but the 7-8 time slots seemed to be prime time and were booked.

I remember on my last time on Freedom that every night was available if I wanted the 5:30 - 6pm or anytime after 8pm time slot.

Yes, that's about the time we make reservations at home.

 

I honestly have no idea what's a good time to eat dinner on the cruise though. We aren't big show people, so mostly our nights (we think) will consist of eating dinner and having some cocktails in a bar after.

 

Does 7:30 - 8:00 sound like a reasonable time? Or do you think sooner?

 

I'm so clueless planning this trip....

If that's when you like to eat at home, that's good for a cruise, too. The biggest issue is planning around the afternoon and evening events.

Early dining (5:30-6:00 start time) can make it difficult to get ready in time -- if you're off doing a shore excursion or something in the afternoon, it can be a mad scramble to get back to the cabin, get showered, get dressed, and get to dinner at 5:30. You also tend to miss the glorious sunsets if you have an early dining time --- the sun goes down while you are at dinner. But there is a benefit to eating earlier, too -- you can attend the show and still get to bed at a reasonable hour, especially if you have an early port call the next morning.

Later dining allows you time to get ready and to sit and relax and enjoy the sunset, but can conflict with seeing shows and getting to bed early.

I personally am a night owl who dances until they shut down the disco at night, and I very rarely get up in time for breakfast in the morning (I have a snack in the Promenade before going to bed instead). Late dining works for me because that coincides with how I like to plan out my activities. Others prefer earlier dining because that's what works for their own situation.

If you're normally inclined to eat dinner around 8pm at home, and if you're not overly concerned with scheduling around show times, I'd say that an 8pm dinner time slot is perfect for you.

Try not to worry about doing things "right" on a cruise --- as long as you're not committing a huge etiquette or safety faux pas (don't save a pool lounge chair hours in advance, don't wear a tank-top and shorts to the Main Dining Room for dinner, don't refill water bottles directly from the spigot -- use a glass to refill a water bottle), your decision only has to be right for YOU and YOUR SITUATION, not the rest of the passengers on the ship. You're going to be on the absolute best vacation ever.... relax and enjoy it!

Yes, that's about the time we make reservations at home.

 

I honestly have no idea what's a good time to eat dinner on the cruise though. We aren't big show people, so mostly our nights (we think) will consist of eating dinner and having some cocktails in a bar after.

 

Does 7:30 - 8:00 sound like a reasonable time? Or do you think sooner?

 

I'm so clueless planning this trip....

It's been awhile since we were on a cruise, but we have experienced the same thing. 7pm-8pm seems prime time. They always have 5:30 open.

Thanks everyone!

I think 8 will work for us. We have my-time dining also, so we can change our mind and eat earlier if need be one night.

I was looking at some cruise compasses from past trips and it seems after 9 is when a lot of the activities we'd be interested in start.

Although trivia starts at 9 in Schooner bar...maybe we'll eat at 7:45, I love to play games! :p

So we are now able to make dining reservations for our 11/29 cruise on FOS.

 

We know we wanted to do Chops on our CoCo-Cay day, so I went to reserve it, and you have to pay today? We will have $200 of onboard credit, so that's what we planned to use for specialty dinners. I don't really feel like spending a couple hundred of my own money right now for those...

Do you suggest waiting until we board to make those reservations? Will it be too late? I've never had to pay up front for a restaurant reservation before.

 

thanks!

I agree with what the others have said.

I am however confused by something you said (in red in the quote). Are there other restaurants or excursions you were trying to book at the same time? Or is it a very large party that you are booking at Chops? How did you come up with the idea that you would be spending a couple hundred of your own money right now?

I agree with what the others have said.

 

I am however confused by something you said (in red in the quote). Are there other restaurants or excursions you were trying to book at the same time? Or is it a very large party that you are booking at Chops? How did you come up with the idea that you would be spending a couple hundred of your own money right now?

Well, $70 for one dinner for the two of us and we wanted to try each specialty restaurant. There's 3 I think? $170 up front today - or wait and use our $200 onboard credit.

We'll wait. :D

Sometimes I book ahead and sometimes I book on the ship when I want to use OBC. I have never had a problem getting the times I want within a half hour. You really should not have a problem. Enjoy Chops, It is my favorite. You get a discount when you book three or more nights in specialty restaurants. Also, they give a discount if you eat in a specialty on the first night.

If you want to use the OBC, then you HAVE to wait until you're onboard....after all, it's an ONBOARD credit! There shouldn't be any problem waiting...those restaurants seldom are full.

If you want to use the OBC, then you HAVE to wait until you're onboard....after all, it's an ONBOARD credit! There shouldn't be any problem waiting...those restaurants seldom are full.

I know what onboard credit is!!!:rolleyes::D I wasn't asking if I could pay using it now....

I didn't know if you made a reservation for a restaurant, you had to pay in full now - I assumed it was like everywhere else, reserve now, pay when you eat.

Now I know better.