Diamond free dinner

[nyc12345]

If one person is diamond and the other person is not, do we both get to enjoy the free specialty restaurant "tasting menu" perk?

How do you go about making reservation with this perk?

Thanks in advance for your help in this matter.

[carlmm]

Yes, if the second person shares the cabin with the diamond member.

Normal Reservation. Just inform the waiter or maitre d'. 

[todd-r]

And if there are two diamonds in the same cabin you still only get one dinner.

[emmas gran]

2 hours ago, todd-r said:

And if there are two diamonds in the same cabin you still only get one dinner.

Yes just the one dinner

[ChattTenn]

13 hours ago, nyc12345 said:

the free specialty restaurant "tasting menu" perk?

How do you go about making reservation with this perk?

Thanks in advance for your help in this matter.

We made the reservation on board.  Remember to make it VERY EARLY.  On 7-23 sailing we made as soon as we boarded the spaces already filled for dinner for next 7 days and the only time left was lunch.  With many dining packages sold it was hard to get a space ones wanted and the menu is the same but a much for lunch.  We enjoyed this freebee.

[xcell]

6 hours ago, todd-r said:

And if there are two diamonds in the same cabin you still only get one dinner.

I find this as YMMV -- usually I book a cabin of 4 (2 adults and 2 teenagers) we are all diamond, so in theory, only 2 of us can have the meal but when I went to book at the restaurant, they let us all in...their only question was if we were all diamond (this has happened for our last 3 cruises)

[CruiseCruiseAndMoreCruise]

On 8/15/2023 at 6:06 AM, ChattTenn said:

We made the reservation on board.  Remember to make it VERY EARLY.  On 7-23 sailing we made as soon as we boarded the spaces already filled for dinner for next 7 days and the only time left was lunch.  With many dining packages sold it was hard to get a space ones wanted and the menu is the same but a much for lunch.  We enjoyed this freebee.

Yet if you walked past the restaurants in the evening I bet they were half empty (they were on my cruise, despite being told there aren't spaces available).  

[ChattTenn]

39 minutes ago, CruiseCruiseAndMoreCruise said:

Yet if you walked past the restaurants in the evening I bet they were half empty (they were on my cruise, despite being told there aren't spaces available).  

Yes, it was our observation too.  With status match program with many diamond members on board, we are wondering if MSC using this method to discourage diamond people from using this benefit.  It it was very strange in late May we could choose anytime and any date then 2 months late on the same ship they told us such. 

We like MSC enough to cruise with them but not too happy on some of their ways of doing things such 3 MDR seatings and $5 charge for another entree etc.

[Morgsmom]

11 minutes ago, ChattTenn said:

We like MSC enough to cruise with them but not too happy on some of their ways of doing things such 3 MDR seatings and $5 charge for another entree etc.

Just curious, how is this different than many other lines who have fixed dining times?  You can always upgrade to Aurea or Yacht Club if you want to dine at will.  As far as the $5 charge, it's new.  And it's really to discourage the massive amount of waste.

[cbfb]

1 hour ago, Morgsmom said:

Just curious, how is this different than many other lines who have fixed dining times?  You can always upgrade to Aurea or Yacht Club if you want to dine at will.  As far as the $5 charge, it's new.  And it's really to discourage the massive amount of waste.

Celebrity has Anytime Dining and you don’t have to pay an additional $400/per person to get it. I really don’t understand why that wouldn’t be available to everyone or at the very least be able to choose your dining time when you book. But that’s just me. 

[ChattTenn]

2 hours ago, Morgsmom said:

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by ChattTenn

[Morgsmom]

1 hour ago, cbfb said:

Celebrity has Anytime Dining and you don’t have to pay an additional $400/per person to get it. I really don’t understand why that wouldn’t be available to everyone or at the very least be able to choose your dining time when you book. But that’s just me. 

Well Celebrity's prices are MUCH, MUCH higher than MSC.  You are paying for it in the base fare.

  

If you book Fantastica level on MSC you can indicate if you want early or late dining.  If you mean you'd like to indicate that you want a table every night at 7:30, that's a logistical nightmare that MSC would not be able to accomodate.  

[cbfb]

11 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

Well Celebrity's prices are MUCH, MUCH higher than MSC.  You are paying for it in the base fare.

  

If you book Fantastica level on MSC you can indicate if you want early or late dining.  If you mean you'd like to indicate that you want a table every night at 7:30, that's a logistical nightmare that MSC would not be able to accomodate.  

That’s fair. Celebrity is more expensive. We actually would have booked the anytime dining level but unfortunately the only cabins were on the 9th deck above the fitness center. Anyway, I do think there is a better way to do this but will decide after our first MSC cruise in 18 days! Very excited for it.