Anyone have experience specialty dining given by TA?

My TA is giving us a specialty dinner for two along with some OBC for our booking. Does anyone know how this gets accounted for on board? Do I just tell the waiter or something?

Also, it looks to me as though the only way to make a reservation in advance using cruise planner is to actually pay for the dinner now. Does that mean, we have to wait until we're on board to get a reservation for our comped dinner? Probably doesn't matter, but there's actually a particular night I'd like to grab now, but if we pay now it doesn't make much sense how it would work.

Your TA should be ale to answer some questions about the specialty dinner. Our experience was that we had to book onboard, and somehow the restaurant already knew we were on some sort of TA promo list.

My TA is giving us a specialty dinner for two along with some OBC for our booking. Does anyone know how this gets accounted for on board? Do I just tell the waiter or something?

 

Also, it looks to me as though the only way to make a reservation in advance using cruise planner is to actually pay for the dinner now. Does that mean, we have to wait until we're on board to get a reservation for our comped dinner? Probably doesn't matter, but there's actually a particular night I'd like to grab now, but if we pay now it doesn't make much sense how it would work.

It all depends on "how" they're offering you those benefits. Sometimes it's a special sale or "perk" that the cruise lines offer to the agencies to help them sell more cruises. Sometimes it's the agent purchasing those things for their clients as a way to say "thank you." Still other times it's because that agency has a group booked on that sailing and that is one of the group perks. Since we can't know which it is, you'll have to ask your agent for the details on how to redeem.

Your TA should be ale to answer some questions about the specialty dinner. Our experience was that we had to book onboard, and somehow the restaurant already knew we were on some sort of TA promo list.

Same experience for us on Allure in Sept

Same experience for us on Allure in Sept

Us too. Call your TA and ask him/her how it is set up. He/she may be able to book the night you are trying to get.

There are a couple of ways you would get a specialty dining gift from your TA.

One is that your TA is putting OBC on your account to cover the cost of a dinner for 2.

Another is that there is a promotional offer through the TA from the cruise line. I know when I've gotten these, both for myself and my clients, we are given a paper voucher that describes the dining gift. That information is sent to the ship so they have a record of your free dining.

In both cases, you'll probably have to wait until you board before you can make your reservations. I know when I gift OBC to a client, I wait until a couple of days before just in case there is a last minute issue or cancellation. So the client can't use that in advance. And with the voucher option, you need to be onboard so they have the information in the system.

Either way, you'll be able to make your reservation once you board. There will most likely be a specialty dining table set up, or there will be crew members walking around who can help you with a reservation. We went to a standing kiosk with a crew member on Allure and had the D lounge concierge make the one on Anthem.

Have fun.

The TA left a voucher in our cabin, that just said ‘one specialty dining’ rather than a dollar amount. A couple of nights into the cruise, the head waiter approached us in the MDR and mentioned that we had a dining credit on our account and offered to book a table for us.

This is great information -- thanks everyone!

Make sure to take a copy of your free dinner from your TA. If it doesn't show up after you board the guest relations will credit you a dinner and then bill the TA. This happened to us from a online TA, the only problem was we did not bring a copy.. happy cruising

We have had a specialty dining from agents probably six or more times in the last 2 years. Our agent sends the Royal voucher usually one for dining and one for spa about 30 days out. If you read the voucher it advises that must be use on PORT days. We usually go to Chops, etc after boarding and make reservations just as we do for 1st done right or BOGO. They have a list showing all vouchers. Bob

We sailed on Allure Jan 14-21 and had a specialty restaurant certificate from our TA. We also had a 5 night dining package. We went to the hostess that was taking reservations for the specialty restaurants and told her what we had.

She arranged all our dinners based on our choices and times. She told us that our TA certificate would be used the night we were in Cozumel. On the certificate itself there is fine print. When I say fine print, it's so small that I would need a magnifying glass to read it. I am thinking, based on the way it was to be used, is that it has to be used on a port day. We were in Cozumel until 7PM if I am remembering correctly.

I would suggest you book the reservation as soon as possible after boarding as some of the restaurants fill up very quickly. I would have liked to use it in Hibachi, but that wasn't available with the certificate.

The last three cruises we received a free dinner at chops, we were able to use it on any night or any time.

We booked it the minute we boarded for the date and time we wanted.

We received good service, no problems

I'm really not cheap, but we enjoy the MDR, and if we did not get the freebie meal, we would not have booked a dining venue.

Safe travels

We have had a specialty dining from agents probably six or more times in the last 2 years. Our agent sends the Royal voucher usually one for dining and one for spa about 30 days out. If you read the voucher it advises that must be use on PORT days. We usually go to Chops, etc after boarding and make reservations just as we do for 1st done right or BOGO. They have a list showing all vouchers. Bob

Sounds like the large agency's offer I have. Was told it could take a few days for the $ OBC to post from the TA.

Hoped the specialty dining voucher will show in our account when we board so I can book on my preferred port day & not on Formal nights in MDR.

Will be on the Oasis, confused. I'm to go the restuarant I'd like to dine (Chops) or there is a speciality dining hostess 'somewhere' that handles these reservations . This should be completed ASAP shortly after boarding to increase my chances. I just show my card?

There were serveral choices listed for dinner on my confirmation from TA, including Chops for lunch but assume they all are subject to availablity.

We went on Oasis in the middle of summer and had no problem booking tables mid-way into the cruise. We even managed to get our ‘port day only’ voucher honored on a sea day. I don’t know if summer is quieter for specialty dining maybe, since there are more families.

My TA is giving us a specialty dinner for two along with some OBC for our booking. Does anyone know how this gets accounted for on board? Do I just tell the waiter or something?

 

Also, it looks to me as though the only way to make a reservation in advance using cruise planner is to actually pay for the dinner now. Does that mean, we have to wait until we're on board to get a reservation for our comped dinner? Probably doesn't matter, but there's actually a particular night I'd like to grab now, but if we pay now it doesn't make much sense how it would work.

Book it when you board.

Ours have always been limited to port days----however, sometimes the ship has said they don't care when we use it.