Questions about dining reservations and drinks

[elmaexec]

I’ll be taking my first PG cruise in October. How does it work to get reservations at the dinner venues that require them?  Can you reserve prior to boarding?  If it must be done after boarding, is it necessary to line up first thing to arrange reservations with the Maitre d or is it easy to get in to them, so no rush?  Do they have some kind of per cabin limit on reservations so that all cruisers get opportunities to enjoy the other restaurants?  Is there a pecking order for reservations according to your class on the ship?  How is the food at the reservation-required restaurants compared to the main venue?

 

About drinks - are wine, beer, and cocktails available all day?  Is it just a “cocktail of the day” or are the bars stocked with all you’d expect from full service bar?  I’m partial to dark beer - stouts and porters - do they offer any? Also, I’d swear I once saw a (maybe PDF) document listing all the alcohol and cocktails available but I can’t find such a thing anywhere now. Does anyone know of a link for that?

 

Sorry for so many questions but I’ve searched and can’t find the answers.

[number8]

I was wondering about some of the same things and from your other post I think we are on the same cruise, October 19. This trip for us has been 6 years in the planning and postponed 2 times because of Covid. We can't wait!!

[elmaexec]

24 minutes ago, number8 said:

I was wondering about some of the same things and from your other post I think we are on the same cruise, October 19. This trip for us has been 6 years in the planning and postponed 2 times because of Covid. We can't wait!!

We’ve had three postponements!  Originally scheduled for June (or was it July?) 2020, rescheduled for October 2020 ( overly optimistic!), tried for July 2021, finally learned our lesson and scheduled October 2022. We did keep our airline reservation for that last one and did a land trip to Tahiti and Moorea last summer. 

[FlightMedic555]

You can’t make dinner reservations in advance. The two restaurants that require reservations each have a set menu which changes only once per trip.  If you like the menu options than make the reservation on board. The restaurant on deck 8 is best when the ship overnights on Bora Bora or Moorea as there is then no wind.

 

Drinks are available all day, anything you want except for top shelf liquor.  Your cabin also has a free minibar with beer and soda.

[elmaexec]

51 minutes ago, FlightMedic555 said:

You can’t make dinner reservations in advance. The two restaurants that require reservations each have a set menu which changes only once per trip.  If you like the menu options than make the reservation on board. The restaurant on deck 8 is best when the ship overnights on Bora Bora or Moorea as there is then no wind.

 

Drinks are available all day, anything you want except for top shelf liquor.  Your cabin also has a free minibar with beer and soda.

Good to know - I’ll try to plan that one for the Bora Bora or Moorea nights. Is it pretty easy then to get reservations for a couple of nights at each?

[minidonuts85]

Great info here! 

Anyone have a list of what liquors are included vs a surcharge for top shelf? I am a grey goose drinker and wonder if it is included. Thanks! 

[FlightMedic555]

Getting dinner reservations is easy if you make them soon after you board.  I personally prefer the main dining room with multiple options.  Check when the Polynesian night is as every dining room has the same fixed menu on that one night.

 

I believe that Grey Goose is included.

[lhcruzin]

I was very happy with the main dining room.  Made a reservation for the Grill.  It poured that evening and we ended up in the main dining room.  Didn’t really feel that we were missing out.  You can’t go wrong either way.  You can use the phone in your cabin to call for a reservation.  

[MotuIslander]

On 8/9/2022 at 8:39 AM, minidonuts85 said:

Great info here! 

Anyone have a list of what liquors are included vs a surcharge for top shelf? I am a grey goose drinker and wonder if it is included. Thanks! 

Grey Goose is included (it is not top-shelf)

[excited balcony]

Is that information somewhere on the website?  I couldn't find it.  

Is Woodford Reserve considered top shelf?

Thank you!!

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

10 minutes ago, excited balcony said:

Is that information somewhere on the website?  I couldn't find it.  

Is Woodford Reserve considered top shelf?

Thank you!!

 

Nowhere .... 

 

Never seen Woodford ... I mean it is a smaller distillery 😉

 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, excited balcony said:

Is that information somewhere on the website?  I couldn't find it.  

Is Woodford Reserve considered top shelf?

Thank you!!

My bourbon-drinking friends consider it top shelf.

[SWFLAOK]

We were headed back to Florida from London back in June and Woodford in small bottles was served onboard. I enjoyed it, and it's certainly widely available in the US since it's served by American Airlines.

We've taken 3 long PG cruises (Marquesas, Cook Islands, and Fiji) and never found it difficult to find good selections of beverages. We've never had to pay extra for any of them. Hopefully Ponant hasn't changed that.

Our last cruise on PG was September of 2019, and we've had numerous cruises cancelled since then. We're booked on Fiji to Bali in January and are really looking forward to it.