Sky Princess main dining room query

[bevandmark]

We are sailing from Southampton on the 6th of May on what looks like a very full cruise.  I have just managed to get a couple of reservations in Sabatinis as there is virtually no availability (a month out) in the other specialty dining rooms at sensible times (before 9.30 which is far too late for us).
We’ll be eating in one of the main dining rooms for the rest of the evenings.  Do you think it’s worth booking these in advance? We usually eat at around 7.30.

Also, if we do have to book this far in advance, do you have any thoughts about differences between the dining rooms?
This will be our first cruise since 2019 and it seems a lot has changed.  Last time we were able to just turn up at the restaurant and were given  a pager if a table wasn’t available.  
Thanks in advance for any advice.

[wowzz]

You can still just turn up when you like, although at busy times you may be given a pager.

 

[Gettingwarmer]

4 hours ago, bevandmark said:

We are sailing from Southampton on the 6th of May on what looks like a very full cruise.  I have just managed to get a couple of reservations in Sabatinis as there is virtually no availability (a month out) in the other specialty dining rooms at sensible times (before 9.30 which is far too late for us).
We’ll be eating in one of the main dining rooms for the rest of the evenings.  Do you think it’s worth booking these in advance? We usually eat at around 7.30.

Also, if we do have to book this far in advance, do you have any thoughts about differences between the dining rooms?
This will be our first cruise since 2019 and it seems a lot has changed.  Last time we were able to just turn up at the restaurant and were given  a pager if a table wasn’t available.  
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Elite can book dining from when they book cruise, anyone else after final payment date. If you want to eat at 7.30 I would pre book tables on the app but you can just turn up at the restaurant. 

[GK95]

Was on the Sky Princess when it was in the Caribbean. It was over Spring Break so the ship was packed. We walked up to one of the MDRs midway through the trip without an reservation and were immediately seated. 
 

And you got a reservation for the best specialty restaurant on Sky. Sabatini’s is excellent. Food is well presented and tastes excellent and service was A+. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

2 hours ago, GK95 said:

Was on the Sky Princess when it was in the Caribbean. It was over Spring Break so the ship was packed. We walked up to one of the MDRs midway through the trip without an reservation and were immediately seated. 

This is a bit different from the situation that the OP was asking about.  Sometimes you can walk right in without a reservation...others you may very well have to wait a few minutes.

[Rick&Jeannie]

12 hours ago, wowzz said:

You can still just turn up when you like, although at busy times you may be given a pager.

 

Yes...rumor has it that they always hold back a few tables for those without reservations.

[bevandmark]

Thanks for your replies everyone.

 

I think we'll book (and maybe try all the main dining rooms).  I guess then we can cancel if we change our minds. 

[Micahs Grandad]

Just back from the Sky and ate dinner in all three dining rooms and really no difference comes from same galley. 

 

We do find it better to have same table, tablemates and wait staff for entire cruise as it is nice to get to know people and waitstaff understands your preferences.

 

Luckily for us we hooked up with two other couples early in the cruise and had dinner together each night.

[MissP22]

24 minutes ago, Micahs Grandad said:

Just back from the Sky and ate dinner in all three dining rooms and really no difference comes from same galley. 

I always thought that there was a galley for the DR's on deck 6 and a separate one for deck 5.