Change to Specialty Dining

[ishap]

Looks like there will be a change to specialty dining reservations.  You will be able to make reservations ahead of time:

 

"Once the plan is implemented,  guests will be able to make reservations at specialty restaurants in advance. This means they’ll not only be able to pick the venue they want to dine in, but also the specific day and time.

 

Previously,  guests had to wait for E-mail confirmation of their requested reservations.Now they’ll immediately lock their reservations into place by paying in full at the time of the booking. Guests will be able to cancel their reservations at any time, both before and after boarding, with no penalty."

 

https://cruiseradio.net/carnival-makes-changes-to-specialty-dining-program/

[shof515]

this sucks. looks like i can not use my onboard credit to pay for specially dinning any more since they now require payment upfront

[Saint Greg]

4 minutes ago, shof515 said:

this sucks. looks like i can not use my onboard credit to pay for specially dinning any more since they now require payment upfront

 

You can if you wait until you board to make reservations.

[Micahs Grandad]

Usually wait till we board before making steakhouse reservations. No way do we pay for this in advance.  

[purplephenom]

This kind of appeals to me.  Not waiting on an email confirmation is nice, not that it's a huge hassle.  But being able to see open dates/times for teppanyaki, since that fills up quickly, may push me to try it.

[ishap]

I will be interested to see how booked up dining will be...and how they will handle priority reservations for platimum and FTTF.

[ObstructedView2]

45 minutes ago, ishap said:

Looks like there will be a change to specialty dining reservations.  You will be able to make reservations ahead of time:

 

"Once the plan is implemented,  guests will be able to make reservations at specialty restaurants in advance. This means they’ll not only be able to pick the venue they want to dine in, but also the specific day and time.

 

Previously,  guests had to wait for E-mail confirmation of their requested reservations.Now they’ll immediately lock their reservations into place by paying in full at the time of the booking. Guests will be able to cancel their reservations at any time, both before and after boarding, with no penalty."

 

https://cruiseradio.net/carnival-makes-changes-to-specialty-dining-program/

 

 

This is great news!!!!!! However I wonder if we'll have to pay in advance also, as passengers have to do on Royal Caribbean when securing speciality dining reservations prior to the cruise. Either way, great news!

 

 

☺️

[Djptcp]

We always have to pay for our specialty dining reservations when we book online before the cruises on Holland America. As 3-Star Mariners, we receive a 25% discount on Specialty Restaurant dinners and the discount is paid back to onboard credit when we receive the bill. We always check with the maitre'd at the end of the meal just to be sure and our onboard account.. Not sure if it will work the same on Carnival if you have discounts for the Specialty restaurants. We have priority reservations as Platinums, but Diamonds receive a one-time complementary meal in a Specialty restaurant. I never minded having to wait a few days for an email confirmation on Carnival.

[ishap]

10 minutes ago, ObstructedView2 said:

 

 

This is great news!!!!!! However I wonder if we'll have to pay in advance also, as passengers have to do on Royal Caribbean when securing speciality dining reservations prior to the cruise. Either way, great news!

 

 

☺️

 

The article does state that you will be required to pay in advance.

[PortSideCruzan]

Hi ishap ☺️

 

Thank you for the article. This is indeed a long overdue, professionally appropriate, terrific move, in regards to the way speciality restaurant reservations will be managed prior to a sailing. 

 

 

 

 

🌴

Edited July 3, 2019 by PortSideCruzan

[coevan]

1 hour ago, ishap said:

Guests will be able to cancel their reservations at any time, both before and after boarding, with no penalty."

 

No one is mentioning this, not a big deal

[ishap]

25 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

No one is mentioning this, not a big deal

 

Only exception will be Chef's Table which I believe is a $25/person cancellation fee.

[coevan]

if you do not cancel within 24 hours, otherwise, fully refundable

[ObstructedView2]

2 hours ago, shof515 said:

 

looks like i can not use my onboard credit to pay for specially dinning any more since they now require payment upfront

 

 

On Royal Caribbean you can apply onboard credit to online purchases, such as dining reservations. Maybe Carnival will do the same. Let's wait & see...

 

.

[livingthedream1]

I saw this this morning and am wondering if it will affect my already booked reservations for our upcoming cruise in November.

[shof515]

41 minutes ago, ObstructedView2 said:

 

On Royal Caribbean you can apply onboard credit to online purchases, such as dining reservations. Maybe Carnival will do the same. Let's wait & see...

 

.

 

on Norwegian, you can not use on board credit for online purchases..based on that, i do not have any hopes for carnival having a better system

[Bases5]

I absolutely love the idea.. I wonder how soon they will start this.

[Ahays00]

I don't mind the idea at all. Currently I have submitted multiple requests ( at least 5)  for dining at different times and days on my upcoming Aug cruise on magic.  I haven't had a confirmation email on a single request yet. I did submit one for the Italian restaurant and received confirmation the next day. So I'm not sure what's going on with the steakhouse.  It would be nice to know for sure. 

[evandbob]

Red, blue and gold pax will applaud this news.

 

Platinum and Diamonds will not be as happy!!! 

 

Another loyalty perk diluted.

[coevan]

3 hours ago, Ahays00 said:

I don't mind the idea at all. Currently I have submitted multiple requests ( at least 5)  for dining at different times and days on my upcoming Aug cruise on magic.  I haven't had a confirmation email on a single request yet. I did submit one for the Italian restaurant and received confirmation the next day. So I'm not sure what's going on with the steakhouse.  It would be nice to know for sure. 

 

 

They do allow walk ins. One night we went to the MDR did not care for the menu and walked up to the Steakhouse. We told he we did not have reservations. the place was 1/2 full. She asked us to wait at the bar, by the time our drinks were served they told us they had a table. 

[cruisinsly]

23 hours ago, livingthedream1 said:

I saw this this morning and am wondering if it will affect my already booked reservations for our upcoming cruise in November.

I wonder too.  I hope not since I already have some reserved as well.

[Ahays00]

53 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

They do allow walk ins. One night we went to the MDR did not care for the menu and walked up to the Steakhouse. We told he we did not have reservations. the place was 1/2 full. She asked us to wait at the bar, by the time our drinks were served they told us they had a table. 

Thanks.  Will give that a try if I don't get a confirmation.  

[jdemps]

I wonder if this means that every cabin will need to make their own reservation for the steakhouse and then they just link them together for one large table?  I usually make a reservation for the whole group but how will payment be handled now they want money up front if it's not charged to the cabin?  I guess I can go in and make a reservation and see how it works.