Lovestotravel Posted July 5, 2019 Report Share Posted July 5, 2019 New to cruising, and have been asking lots of questions on these forums! Thanks for always being willing to answer! Have a few questions re: dinning and drinks. If we choose NOT to purchase any dining or drink packages (not even the coffee/soda one), how do the specialty restaurants and non-gratuity items work on the ship? So, if we go to Chops for example, do we just get a bill at the end of the meal like a normal restaurant? And, what if we do want soda/specialty coffees etc while on board? Can we just buy them with cash/credit card as we go? We are probably fine with just the "free" water and tea options on board, but curious about what happens if we decide to order something different for a given meal etc. The cruise we have booked has 5 ports of call, so we think we will be eating off the boat quite a bit, which is also factoring in to our decision. Thanks for any advice you can give! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted July 5, 2019 Report Share Posted July 5, 2019 18 minutes ago, Lovestotravel said: So, if we go to Chops for example, do we just get a bill at the end of the meal like a normal restaurant? And, what if we do want soda/specialty coffees etc while on board? Can we just buy them with cash/credit card as we go? Any upcharge items you buy on the ship, whether dining / drinks / souvenirs, will be charged to your Sea Pass card at the time of purchase. Typically, you'll have associated a credit card to your on-board account during your online check-in, so you don't have to worry about pulling out your card or paying cash at any point during the cruise. Do note that this is optional; if you'd rather pay cash, you can skip the card association step and notify the rep during embarkation check-in that you want to pay using cash instead. You can then either pre-pay a set amount of cash (which you'll have to collect from Guest Services if you don't spend it all), or put nothing on the card and wait to be notified when you've hit a threshold (I want to say a few hundred dollars) that requires a payment at that time. On the last day, you'll get a statement for the total charges incurred. The total will automatically be charged to your card after disembarking, or you'll have to go to Guest Services and settle up with them if you've been paying with cash. It's highly recommended that you go on to the TV in your cabin and use the folio review channel to go through all your charges the last night on board, and make sure everything looks correct; if you have any disputes, better to go to Guest Services that night than to fight the long lines on disembarkation morning. ChessE4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovestotravel Posted July 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2019 2 minutes ago, JLMoran said: Any upcharge items you buy on the ship, whether dining / drinks / souvenirs, will be charged to your Sea Pass card at the time of purchase. Typically, you'll have associated a credit card to your on-board account during your online check-in, so you don't have to worry about pulling out your card or paying cash at any point during the cruise. Do note that this is optional; if you'd rather pay cash, you can skip the card association step and notify the rep during embarkation check-in that you want to pay using cash instead. You can then either pre-pay a set amount of cash (which you'll have to collect from Guest Services if you don't spend it all), or put nothing on the card and wait to be notified when you've hit a threshold (I want to say a few hundred dollars) that requires a payment at that time. On the last day, you'll get a statement for the total charges incurred. The total will automatically be charged to your card after disembarking, or you'll have to go to Guest Services and settle up with them if you've been paying with cash. It's highly recommended that you go on to the TV in your cabin and use the folio review channel to go through all your charges the last night on board, and make sure everything looks correct; if you have any disputes, better to go to Guest Services that night than to fight the long lines on disembarkation morning. GREAT info. So, we never use our cc while on board? It is all tallied on our Sea Pass card? And if we use cash, it too is put on the Sea Pass card? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted July 5, 2019 Report Share Posted July 5, 2019 11 minutes ago, Lovestotravel said: So, we never use our cc while on board? It is all tallied on our Sea Pass card? That's correct. And you can see the charges to the Sea Pass each day on your TV, or by visiting Guest Services. 12 minutes ago, Lovestotravel said: And if we use cash, it too is put on the Sea Pass card? Yes, or as noted you can just start off by putting nothing on the card; it's not actually required to put any dollar amount on there in advance, but if you don't then you will eventually hit that limit I mentioned, where you'll get a call to come down and pay off some of the charges. And of course, if you preload any cash up front then you will want to be sure and visit Guest Services on the final night or at latest disembarkation morning so you can get back anything you hadn't spent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted July 5, 2019 Report Share Posted July 5, 2019 25 minutes ago, Lovestotravel said: GREAT info. So, we never use our cc while on board? It is all tallied on our Sea Pass card? And if we use cash, it too is put on the Sea Pass card? You can't pay for anything in cash on board outside of tipping and playing casino games. Everything will be charged to your onboard account. If you set up a cash account and don't have a credit card associated to it they do shut off the account at a certain amount. You'll have to go to Guest Services to pay off your balance at that point. If you have a credit card tied to your account then there won't be a limit but you can go to Guest Services at any time to pay cash towards your bill. It's similar to charging things to your room at a hotel..you have to pay your bill at checkout. They won't let you off of the ship if you still have a balance and no credit card tied to the account for them to charge it to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Posted July 5, 2019 Report Share Posted July 5, 2019 26 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said: They won't let you off of the ship if you still have a balance and no credit card tied to the account for them to charge it to. Woohoo...do you get to keep the same cabin? I always had a linked credit card, but I may have rethink that now. JLMoran, mom2mybugs, RWDW1204 and 2 others 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted July 6, 2019 Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 2 hours ago, Skid said: Woohoo...do you get to keep the same cabin? I always had a linked credit card, but I may have rethink that now. Haha they will page you and track you down and make you pay..then escort you off the ship in front of all the passengers waiting to get on the next cruise. RWDW1204 and Skid 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovestotravel Posted July 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 24 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said: Haha they will page you and track you down and make you pay..then escort you off the ship in front of all the passengers waiting to get on the next cruise. Hahaha! That would be an abrupt and not fun end to the cruise! Thanks everyone, it all makes sense now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovestotravel Posted July 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 FOLLOW-UP QUESTION! If we are booked for 8:30 dinning on our booking reservation, can we eat at the WJ anytime, or is it only when our dinning time is listed? I didn't know if that dining time was just if we wanted to eat in the MDR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWDW1204 Posted July 6, 2019 Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 Dining time is for MDR. Show up on time. Windjammer you can go to any time it's open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovestotravel Posted July 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 1 minute ago, RWDW1204 said: Dining time is for MDR. Show up on time. Windjammer you can go to any time it's open. Thanks! That was what I was hoping! Are they open basically all day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWDW1204 Posted July 6, 2019 Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 If remembered correctly, breakfast was from 6:30 until 11:30. Lunch was from 11:30 until 3:00. Tea Time was from 3 until 5. Dinner was from 6:00 until 9PM. Always check your Cruise Compass. Hours might be different on sea days and port days. And there are multiple other places to eat during the day and night. Depends on what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovestotravel Posted July 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 Perfect! Thanks for the info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2mybugs Posted July 6, 2019 Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 1 hour ago, Lovestotravel said: Thanks! That was what I was hoping! Are they open basically all day? Occasionally they will have times where they are transferring from breakfast to lunch or lunch to dinner. Then you might have a much smaller area of the windjammer open... For example one side buffet line or an area of stations might be closed. They do close earlier than you might think... Usually by 9. I don't remember what ship you will be on but Cafe prominade, Park Cafe, sorrentos or lattetudes are usually open very late depending on the ship. Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovestotravel Posted July 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 Thanks Jane! We will be on Freedom of the Seas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2mybugs Posted July 6, 2019 Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 Just now, Lovestotravel said: Thanks Jane! We will be on Freedom of the Seas. Loved freedom... Been on it twice! So cafe prominade and sorrentos are both open very late! Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovestotravel Posted July 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 Awesome! Good to know! We are looking forward to our time on board! mom2mybugs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 Will just add one note -- if you don't expect to eat in the MDR, either on a specific night or not at all, notify your wait staff or the maitre'd ahead of time. This will let them know not to wait for you before taking orders from the others at your table, if you were assigned to a larger table with more guests than just your party. Lovestotravel, RWDW1204 and bcarney 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovestotravel Posted July 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 1 hour ago, JLMoran said: Will just add one note -- if you don't expect to eat in the MDR, either on a specific night or not at all, notify your wait staff or the maitre'd ahead of time. This will let them know not to wait for you before taking orders from the others at your table, if you were assigned to a larger table with more guests than just your party. Ah, yes, wouldn't have thought of that. We will likely eat in the MDR each night, but will be sure to let them know if not. Follow-up to the follow-up: can we request a private table for 2? It will just be my husband and I cruising together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChessE4 Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 22 minutes ago, Lovestotravel said: Ah, yes, wouldn't have thought of that. We will likely eat in the MDR each night, but will be sure to let them know if not. Follow-up to the follow-up: can we request a private table for 2? It will just be my husband and I cruising together. Yes, you can ask to be assigned a table for two as your default MDR table We usually have our travel agent make our dining arrangements when we book. Not sure if you have a traditional seating or have selected My Time Dining. Lovestotravel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 5 hours ago, Lovestotravel said: Ah, yes, wouldn't have thought of that. We will likely eat in the MDR each night, but will be sure to let them know if not. Follow-up to the follow-up: can we request a private table for 2? It will just be my husband and I cruising together. As @ChessE4 noted, you can definitely request this. If you booked with a travel agent, they will have to put in the request for a 2-seat table for you. I will say that even after making this request, you'll want to go to the MDR at some point on embarkation day and ahead of dinner time, and find your table to make sure you got what you requested. Your table number will be printed on your Sea Pass card, so finding it won't be too difficult; any staff who might be there when you go are used to folks looking for their table and won't stop you from wandering around. If you find that the table you've been assigned isn't what you requested (it does happen), or it's the right kind of table but not in a location you're keen on (maybe you wanted a seat closer to a window so you could enjoy the view, or you can see that you've been seated close to where the wait staff will constantly be going in and out of the kitchen), speak with the maitre'd immediately and politely ask if they have any other 2-top tables you could be moved to. They may need some time to figure that out, and you could still end up with a no, but they will do their best to accommodate your requests. ChessE4 and Lovestotravel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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