Speciality Dining - Best nights

What are peoples views on which are in general the best nights to make speciality restaurant reservations.

What is best - the first night, sea days, gala days or the last night or do people think it is simply a matter of personal preference

I guess it’s a matter of personal preference

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Personal preference for us, too.

I would imagine that Gala Night would be easy to get into specialty restaurants, sea days may be more crowded, though. We usually book an evening where we return early from port.

We generally book the first night, the last night and/or a night where we have a late port stop,

The first night works well for us, as generally the main dining room (MDR) is unorganized and seems to take forever to get your meal.

The last night is good, as the menu in the MDR normally is not as good (for some reason).

The late port nights are good as we have Early dining and this way we can stay in port longer and still have a nice meal, and not be rushed.

I try to find out what night lobster night is so we don't miss it in the mdr.

So if you can see a menu ahead of time, you can choose your specialty dining for the nights that don't offer your favorites in the mdr.

Once, as I was talking to the folks in Canaletto, they said that more people reserve late in the cruise because they want to have it included in their cruise experience. It also depends on the venue, Canaletto is generally used less than Pinnacle, even though the charges are different. I have yet to have an awesome experience in the Pinnacle.

Jim

Personal preference for us.

First night can be very hectic in the dining room -- that might be a night to consider.

Eating in a specialty restaurant on the last night of the cruise is a nice way to end the cruise.

Once, as I was talking to the folks in Canaletto, they said that more people reserve late in the cruise because they want to have it included in their cruise experience. It also depends on the venue, Canaletto is generally used less than Pinnacle, even though the charges are different. I have yet to have an awesome experience in the Pinnacle.

 

Jim

We have had several awesome dinners in the PG. I've already met the staff at breakfast before our first visit, and have had the same waiters on different ships, which might have helped our experiences.

I try to find out what night lobster night is so we don't miss it in the mdr.

So if you can see a menu ahead of time, you can choose your specialty dining for the nights that don't offer your favorites in the mdr.

On Oosterdam, this last march, they served lobster in the Lido.

The true answer is personal preference as everyone's tastes are different. That said, if we have anytime dining I like a specialty dinner on the first night as the MDR can be hectic. However, with assigned dining we usually just pick a day mid-cruise as we like to be at the MDR table on the first night to get acquainted with our waitstaff and fellow passengers. We've never done a specialty on the final night, other than on NCL where there is no assigned dining and the MDR food is [or at least was in the past] mediocre, as we like to say farewell to the same waitstaff and fellow passengers.

Pinnacle and Canaletto are very different but both enjoyable.

I try to figure out what the menus are in the MDR, and if there's nothing that I fancy, I am likely to try and book a dinner in a specialty venue. I usually like gala nights in MDR though. The last night aboard used to be a good choice for Pinnacle, but they changed up the last night menus so now it all depends. I am not a fan of Canaletto unless really craving pasta.

We think all nights are the best nights for specialty dining.

We won't be dining in the MDR a single time on our next cruise.

Any night there is a discount. I know, that would be rare on HAL.

What are peoples views on which are in general the best nights to make speciality restaurant reservations.

 

 

 

What is best - the first night, sea days, gala days or the last night or do people think it is simply a matter of personal preference

I prefer the Pinnacle for lunch on a sea day. And for dinner 1st or last night of the cruise. Usually early as I don't sleep well if we've dined on rich food later in the evening.

We have Early Seating so choose Canaletto on a later port day.

So, I'd have to say, it's all a matter of personal preference.

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I love the Pinnacle on the last night of a cruise. Until my most recent cruise, the last night menu in the dining room has been terrible for years now, so I had gotten used to escaping to the Pinnacle.

I still like that it creates a calm, lovely ending to the cruise. It also allows me to dine earlier than my main fixed seating, so there is more time to finish packing and get my suitcase in the passageway at a decent hour.

On the last couple of cruises I have also liked dining there the first Gala night, as the dining room menu isn't appealing. It makes the 'Gala' night a little more festive to have dinner in the Pinnacle.

I prefer the Pinnacle for lunch on a sea day. And for dinner 1st or last night of the cruise. Usually early as I don't sleep well if we've dined on rich food later in the evening.

 

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On a recent cruise we had Pinnacle Lunch on a port day (Noon disembark)! It was an excellent meal plus almost completely empty, so very calm and relaxing. Quite unusual to see it on a port day and with our Mariner Discount it only cost us $5 pp.

Then for dinner we skipped the MDR and instead dined in the Lido.

I'm 100% behind Ruth's comment. I've never seen a better than average main dining room dinner on the last night. Reservations for the Pinnacle need to be made very early.

David

Definitely personal preference. For me, I haven't eaten in the MDR in years...and the gala night menus in particular do not impress me since I don't eat seafood. I still prefer to dress for gala night, and look a bit silly in the Lido like that, so gala nights are my choice for specialty restaurants. In November I'm booked on both gala nights, and in March I just booked the first gala night.

Sue/WDW1972

Eurodam 11/26/17

Koningsdam 3/7/18

Nieuw Statendam 1/20/19

Definitely personal preference. For me, I haven't eaten in the MDR in years...and the gala night menus in particular do not impress me since I don't eat seafood. I still prefer to dress for gala night, and look a bit silly in the Lido like that, so gala nights are my choice for specialty restaurants. In November I'm booked on both gala nights, and in March I just booked the first gala night.

 

Sue/WDW1972

Eurodam 11/26/17

Koningsdam 3/7/18

Nieuw Statendam 1/20/19

Sorry if this seems like a stupid question but as this will be our first HAL experience; how do you know which night(s) are the gala nights?

In my experience (5 HAL cruises all 7-day), the gala nights are the days at sea.

Not a stupid question at all - it just comes with HAL experience. As bd1958 said, it'll almost 99.99% of the time be sea days. When there are more than 2 sea days but only 2 gala nights, they'll be the first and last sea days. But, HAL will never do gala night on the 1st or last night of a cruise. They also won't do 2 gala nights in a row. So, it's pretty easy to figure out just by looking at the itinerary.

Sue/WDW1972

Not a stupid question at all - it just comes with HAL experience. As bd1958 said, it'll almost 99.99% of the time be sea days. When there are more than 2 sea days but only 2 gala nights, they'll be the first and last sea days. But, HAL will never do gala night on the 1st or last night of a cruise. They also won't do 2 gala nights in a row. So, it's pretty easy to figure out just by looking at the itinerary.

 

Sue/WDW1972

Tell me this: our next cruise on Westerdam has this itinerary:

Day 0 Depart Tampa

Day 1 Sea Day.

Day 2 Costa Maya

Day 3 Roatan

Day 4 Santo Thomas Castillia

Day 5 Cozumel

Day 6 Sea Day

Day 7 Tampa

First Gala Night will be Day 1, a Sea Day.

Second Gala Night normally would be Day 5 in Cozumel. However, ship arrives Cozumel at 1200 and doesn't depart until 2300 (11PM). What's the chances there will be a gala night while the ship is alongside the pier?

Holland only says it's up to the Captain.

I would guess zero percent chance of that! Guatemala night is more likely - but once the caribbean season starts I'd try to find someone doing your itinerary before you to find out for sure. What time do you sail from Santo Thomas? The earlier it is, the more likely that'll be your 2nd gala night.

Head's up - the bow will be open as you sail through Tampa Bay, and under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. It'll take about 2.5 hours to reach it, though - the ship has to move slowly.

Sue/WDW1972

I would guess zero percent chance of that! Guatemala night is more likely - but once the caribbean season starts I'd try to find someone doing your itinerary before you to find out for sure. What time do you sail from Santo Thomas? The earlier it is, the more likely that'll be your 2nd gala night.

 

Head's up - the bow will be open as you sail through Tampa Bay, and under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. It'll take about 2.5 hours to reach it, though - the ship has to move slowly.

 

Sue/WDW1972

Thanks Sue for the tip on the bridge.

Departure for all the other ports is 5PM (1700).

This isn't a common itinerary. Most cruises from Tampa do a different routing, ie, Coz first or Key West, etc. Will check though.

I'm just having a hard time thinking a Gala Night on a late port night. Particularly Cozumel.

Not a stupid question at all - it just comes with HAL experience. As bd1958 said, it'll almost 99.99% of the time be sea days. When there are more than 2 sea days but only 2 gala nights, they'll be the first and last sea days. But, HAL will never do gala night on the 1st or last night of a cruise. They also won't do 2 gala nights in a row. So, it's pretty easy to figure out just by looking at the itinerary.

 

Sue/WDW1972

Thanks so much for this info. Easier to plan