Embarkation Day Evening Meal

[Tiggipaws]

Good morning

 

I am sailing on the Sky Princess later this year. I know embarkation day can be very hectic. Probably go to MDR  at lunch time. Just wondering for dinner whether I should go to one of the specialty restaurants or Alfredos. Which would be the best option?

 

Thank you

[david63]

Speciality restaurants will probably the least busy but may need to pre book. Alfredos, because of its limited seating capacity, would be hit or miss and MDR will be what it will be.

 

There really is no easy answer and a lot will depend on what time you want to eat and, to some extent, how many Americans are onboard as they tend to eat early.

[Tiggipaws]

Thank you for the reply David63. We are sailing from Port Lauderdale the beginning of December. We normally eat between 7 pm and 8 pm when on a cruise

[snoozecrooze]

I think you won't really have a hard time getting a seat if you, say, reserve a 7:30-8PM spot in the dining room. Lots of people tend to want to eat earlier on Caribbean cruises and 6PM tends to have big log jams (even 5PM can be a hassle, especially on night 1). Just note that dining later may or may not affect your evening plans, given whatever your ship's evening entertainment schedule is, but if you don't mind, then it won't matter.

 

I think if you do choose a specialty alternative, then you can easily give that a try as well at the pay venues like Crown Grill, Sabatini's, or The Catch. I've never done this as I prefer MDR on night 1, but I've heard it's a nice way to kickstart a cruise.

 

[ghgeckos]

We always book a specialty restaurant on the first night to avoid the MDR line -ups by all the new cruisers.

[Plato123]

Don't forget your free bottle of wine if you dine in a specialty restaurant the first night:

ShipwideSavingsCoupons2023.pdf (responsys.net)

 

[david63]

47 minutes ago, Plato123 said:

Don't forget your free bottle of wine if you dine in a specialty restaurant the first night:

Unless you have the Plus package which makes the free bottle of wine redundant!

[Plato123]

A free bottle of wine is never redundant!

Have it on your balcony with room service (or not) or give it away, but do not call it redundant!

 

[J13C85]

Even before we sailed in suites we liked to do specialty dining on night one. Our experience was that embarkation night was not as busy as other nights and there was a real fun "energy" in the restaurant. When we last sailed on Sky we had a wonderful meal at Sabatini's and enjoyed it so much we did a spur of the moment one later in the cruise.

[Thrak]

6 hours ago, david63 said:

Unless you have the Plus package which makes the free bottle of wine redundant!

 

Okay. Time out for you. Go to your room and think about what a crazy thing you just said.

[smokey01]

12 hours ago, Plato123 said:

Don't forget your free bottle of wine if you dine in a specialty restaurant the first night:

ShipwideSavingsCoupons2023.pdf (responsys.net)

 

If you don’t drink the whole bottle during the meal can you take it back to your cabin?

[Tiggipaws]

15 hours ago, Plato123 said:

Don't forget your free bottle of wine if you dine in a specialty restaurant the first night:

ShipwideSavingsCoupons2023.pdf (responsys.net)

 

I didn't know there was a free bottle of wine. Do they automatically give this to you?

[Tiggipaws]

Thank you all for the replies. I will have a good think about it😀

[Plato123]

8 minutes ago, Tiggipaws said:

I didn't know there was a free bottle of wine. Do they automatically give this to you?

Just present the coupon when you get to the restaurant, or when ordering.

[wilsonhold]

18 hours ago, Plato123 said:

Don't forget your free bottle of wine if you dine in a specialty restaurant the first night:

ShipwideSavingsCoupons2023.pdf (responsys.net)

 

Curious. Can these coupons be used by all princess cruisers in 2023 or are there restrictions? Wonder if i could use them on our sailing? 

[lx200gps]

20 hours ago, Plato123 said:

Don't forget your free bottle of wine if you dine in a specialty restaurant the first night:

ShipwideSavingsCoupons2023.pdf (responsys.net)

 

Those coupon books are not universal, not all pax have them. Our TA gives us one each, but AFAIK some passengers do not have them, and so would not get the free bottle of plonk on embarkation night.  We always sail with at least the Plus package, and the free bottle is usually not worth even bothering with, we stick to the better wines by the glass in the SDRs.

[Tiggipaws]

5 hours ago, Plato123 said:

Just present the coupon when you get to the restaurant, or when ordering.

What coupon?

[MissP22]

19 hours ago, Plato123 said:

A free bottle of wine is never redundant!

Have it on your balcony with room service (or not) or give it away, but do not call it redundant!

 

Or you could pack it to take home. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

8 hours ago, Tiggipaws said:

What coupon?

Some TAs give out special coupon books to their clients.... I've never seen one!

[suzyed]

On 7/6/2023 at 3:52 PM, david63 said:

Unless you have the Plus package which makes the free bottle of wine redundant!

Why would it be redundant?  You only get a discount on a bottle of wine with Plus...it's not free.

[suzyed]

On 7/7/2023 at 9:46 AM, wilsonhold said:

Curious. Can these coupons be used by all princess cruisers in 2023 or are there restrictions? Wonder if i could use them on our sailing? 

The coupons are from your travel agent and if they are giving you one, it will be in your cabin.
Once, I got it in an email from my ta.
Just make sure you have the actual coupon because no one seems to know about them otherwise.

Edited July 9, 2023 by suzyed

[wilsonhold]

4 hours ago, suzyed said:

The coupons are from your travel agent and if they are giving you one, it will be in your cabin.
Once, I got it in an email from my ta.
Just make sure you have the actual coupon because no one seems to know about them otherwise.

Thanks. Never hurts to ask and maybe could get lucky. A couple dollars here and there never is a bad thing.

[DallasGuy75219]

5 hours ago, suzyed said:

Why would it be redundant?  You only get a discount on a bottle of wine with Plus...it's not free.

Because you've paid for wine by the glass with Plus.

[Tiggipaws]

I have the plus package so not to worried about the free wine.

[suzyed]

7 hours ago, wilsonhold said:

Thanks. Never hurts to ask and maybe could get lucky. A couple dollars here and there never is a bad thing.

Agree.  
While most of the coupons are for things we are not interested in, some are. When we order a bottle of champagne (at 25% off) for our cabin and we get some free chocolate covered strawberries with it, I think that's nice. $10 to throw into the slots is nice too.  If I have an opportunity to try a free bottle of wine even if I have Plus, I am not going to turn my nose up at it.  If I don't like it and I order something else, well that's ok too.