Reserve Dining

[Goofyisme]

How does Reserve Dining work on Princess ships.  I am specifically interested in the Island but would like to know about any ships.

TIA

[negn]

Will all be changing starting with Sept 14 cruises.  Numerous posts describe changes.  Basically you can choose traditional (2 seatings) ,make reservations for specific days and times or just walk in when you choose.   Each choice will have their own dining room.  I think it may be a little different on Island as I think they have only 2 rooms

[memoak]

Usually we love Reserve dining. No wait good service. However we are currently on the Ruby and after one experience in the Reserve area we have abandoned it for normal MDR. They are supposed to be open till 9:00. We walked in at 8:15 and the were trying to close up. Give a menu and 30 seconds to order   Manager was rude felt pressured to gobble down dinner and leave.  Almost 2 weeks left and we will not go back. W went to Botticelli dining room at 8:00 last night and were treated like gold 

[Dani24]

We last enjoyed this amenity in 2019, when it was Club Class dining (since renamed Reserve). It was a really awesome perk, and we're excited to enjoy it again on our next cruise.

 

Reserve dining is limited to Suite passengers and those with Reserve Collection Mini Suites (note that not all mini suites are Reserve). They are able to dine in a dedicated section of one of the dining rooms for dinner. There's usually a separate entrance just for the Reserve seating. You can walk up any time without reservations. On our 10 day Alaska sailing we never waited more than a couple of minutes for a table (usually we were seated immediately). 

 

We had the same waiters every night, so we got the benefit of getting to know our wait staff (and them getting to know us and our preferences), while also being able to dine when we wanted without a reservation.

 

There was always at least one special menu item (sometimes two) each night, just for the Club Class guests. Sometimes these were even prepared directly by the Head Waiter. On our sailing, we were able to dine in the Club Class section for lunch in the MDR as well. I don't know if that's still the case, or if it's offered on all ships. But there was sometimes a special menu item for lunch.

 

You don't have to eat in Reserve every night, or at all. We certainly enjoyed specialty restaurants and such on other nights. 

 

If you make or have friends onboard who are not Reserve dining guests, and you wish to dine with them, you cannot eat with them in the Reserve section, but you can eat in the regular MDR, or meet them for one of the Specialty restaurants.

 

If you happen to be a Suite passenger, definitely don't miss the special suite breakfast (usually in one of the specialty restaurants). This was one of our favorite things! They would make us almost anything we wanted, provided they had the ingredients (but also had a different menu from the MDR breakfast). It was uncrowded, and the service was stellar. 

Edited April 17 by Dani24

[reedprincess]

39 minutes ago, Goofyisme said:

How does Reserve Dining work on Princess ships.  I am specifically interested in the Island but would like to know about any ships.

TIA

Reserve dining is a section of the MDR on all ships except Sun where it is an actual separate restaurant.  It'll be listed in the daily event planner as to where the Reserve dining section will be . 

The Reserve section has different linens, flowers, menu covers, but same menu, with an additional item or two each night, ie lobster thermidor or lamb chops or a special pasta or such..

 

Ni reservations needed at all, walkup when ready and tables will be available - usually. Maybe a short 5 minute wait. 

If you want the same area/table or wait staff every night, just let the maitre'd know.

 

Happy sails.

[reedprincess]

20 minutes ago, memoak said:

Usually we love Reserve dining. No wait good service. However we are currently on the Ruby and after one experience in the Reserve area we have abandoned it for normal MDR. They are supposed to be open till 9:00. We walked in at 8:15 and the were trying to close up. Give a menu and 30 seconds to order   Manager was rude felt pressured to gobble down dinner and leave.  Almost 2 weeks left and we will not go back. W went to Botticelli dining room at 8:00 last night and were treated like gold 

Have you spoken to the head maitre'd? F&B manager?  They should be informed about what happened in order to rectify it..

[cr8tiv1]

Huge difference between:

 

Reserve Collection MDR for suite and Reserve Collection mini suites

 

AND

 

Making reservations for the MDR.  
 

Is OP asking about making reservations or about the service in Reserve Collection dining?

 

Princess has managed to confuse another passenger with their choice of labels!

[Goofyisme]

Some great answers.  Since this is our first Princess cruise after sailing with several other cruise lines just wasn't sure about the process.

Nice to know that the location is in the "paper" each day and to hear that it is how I pictured it.

Can't wait to enjoy this perk on our upcoming cruise

Again many thanks I now feel well informed.

[Lady Arwen]

8 minutes ago, Goofyisme said:

Some great answers.  Since this is our first Princess cruise after sailing with several other cruise lines just wasn't sure about the process.

Nice to know that the location is in the "paper" each day and to hear that it is how I pictured it.

Can't wait to enjoy this perk on our upcoming cruise

Again many thanks I now feel well informed.

Are you booked into a Reserve Class cabin or suite?  These are the only passengers who can use the Reserve Class dining room.  If so, you do not make reservations, just walk in at anytime they are open.  Is you are asking about reservations in the MDR, that is an entirely different situation.  I’m not sure about your comment “the location is in the paper each day”.  The Reserve Class restaurant does not move location.

[ldubs]

A few cruises ago a couple with "reserve class" mistakenly got in the regular MDR line for folks with reservations.  They informed the folks they cut in front of they were reserve class so didn't have to wait in line.  I felt kind of sorry for them when they were told by the staff they were in the wrong line.   

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

A few cruises ago a couple with "reserve class" mistakenly got in the regular MDR line for folks with reservations.  They informed the folks they cut in front of they were reserve class so didn't have to wait in line.  I felt kind of sorry for them when they were told by the staff they were in the wrong line.   

 

I have also seen the opposite.  Where passengers with reservations for MDR showed up at the Reserve Collection Dining Area.  The host/hostess or Assistant Manager would discretely walk them over to the "other" dining room. 

[ldubs]

47 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

I have also seen the opposite.  Where passengers with reservations for MDR showed up at the Reserve Collection Dining Area.  The host/hostess or Assistant Manager would discretely walk them over to the "other" dining room. 

 

Must be the only ones who get it right are the walk-ins with no reservations.   haha.  

[suzyed]

So those in a Reserve Mini can only dine in the Reserve dining room for dinner or can they for lunch or breakfast?   Asking specifically about the Enchanted.

[cr8tiv1]

30 minutes ago, suzyed said:

So those in a Reserve Mini can only dine in the Reserve dining room for dinner or can they for lunch or breakfast?   Asking specifically about the Enchanted.

 

Passengers may dine in Reserve Collection for breakfast and dinner.  If the MDRs are open for lunch, then they may also lunch in Reserve Collection.  Suite passengers may choose either RC or Suite Breakfast locations.