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Chef's Table substitute within the 3 Night Dining Package


Curt From Canada

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I am not sure how I have missed this in the past, but the option of substituting in Chef's Table for one of the nights with the 3 Night Specialty Dining Package seems like a great idea on small ships that only have 1 or 2 speciality restaurants.  I think the uncharge is ~$49.  It seems worth it instead of dining 3 times in Chops.

My question is about the best way to make the substitution.  I am guessing there are few options, but we are looking for any process folks have used in the past:

  • Book Chef's Table ahead of time and make the switch when we get on board?
  • Book Chef's Table ahead of time and have RCL "correct" the bill when we are at Chef's Table?
  • Do not book Chef's Table ahead of time and book once on board (embarkation day) when booking the other two Chop's reservation?
  • Other?

There are 5 of us, so we are slightly concerned about Chef's Table being over booked on a night we would want.

Any input/ideas would be greatly appreciated ...

Curt from Canada

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just off Enchantment this month.  This is how the "Chops Grille / Chef's Table Shuffle" [CC Shuffle] worked well for us.  The background is that 3 meals in Chops is just a little too much for us.  Therefore, the 3-Night Dining Package is not that interesting for us on smaller ships.  In this case, the "CC Shuffle" turned out to make at least one night very interesting.  We understand that the Chef's Table is not for everyone (a lot to drink and too much food), but for those who do enjoy it ...

1).  We booked the 3 Night Dining Package well before our cruise (at the best discounted price we could find).  We booked our first night in Chops, at a time we wanted.

2). We booked Chef's Table on the exact night we wanted (4 nights later), and paid the full price before our cruise (no discount was required ... due to the "CC Shuffle").

3). On embarkation day (at Chop's) we told our waiter we wanted to book one more night in Chops AND use our third night at the Chef's Table we had already booked.  Much confusion ensued 😉.  The waiter and head waiter said they had never seen this done before.  Luckily, in the 3-Night Dining Package Description on the RCL APP it was very clear.  The Head Waiter had to take a picture of my phone's screen 😂 ... It was a comical interlude to our nice meal in Chops.  

4). By the next day, our full Chef's Table payment had been refunded to our On Board Account (full refundable) and at the Chef's Table (later in the week) we were charged $49.99 each.

CAUTION:  Be very careful to read your Dining Package Details to make sure that the $49.99 Chef's Table Upgrade option is available.  We have seen other cruises where it was not allowed. Also, have your cell phone at the ready! 😂

Your Mileage May Vary ...

Curt from Canada

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17 minutes ago, Mturk said:

I'm a little confused by this. If the Chef's Table is included as part of the 3 night dining package then why the need for the CC Shuffle? Am I missing something?

The Chef's Table is not included in the 3 Night Dining Package, but there is an option to take one of the 3 nights and go to the Chef's Table (instead of one of the Specialty Restaurants) for an extra $49.99 per person ... the regular rate fluctuates between $79.99 to over $100.  The main difficulty is that the Chef's Table can book up quickly and typically we want to spend a certain night there (Chef's Table is an investment in time ... it runs from 6:30PM until late).  Usually we can only fit the Chef's Table in on one or two of the nights on a 7 night cruise.

Therefore, we book both and "shuffle" to a cheaper rate ... instead of (in this case) going to Chops 3 times in one cruise.

I hope that makes more sense ...

Curt from Canada

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2 hours ago, Curt From Canada said:

Oooops ... I forgot to say:

Bonjour Montreal!

We are just around the corner (Rosemere).

Curt from Canada

 

Bonjour Rosemere!  I'm actually in one if the suburbs, Kirkland so not too far away at all.

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2 hours ago, Curt From Canada said:

The Chef's Table is not included in the 3 Night Dining Package, but there is an option to take one of the 3 nights and go to the Chef's Table (instead of one of the Specialty Restaurants) for an extra $49.99 per person ... the regular rate fluctuates between $79.99 to over $100.  The main difficulty is that the Chef's Table can book up quickly and typically we want to spend a certain night there (Chef's Table is an investment in time ... it runs from 6:30PM until late).  Usually we can only fit the Chef's Table in on one or two of the nights on a 7 night cruise.

Therefore, we book both and "shuffle" to a cheaper rate ... instead of (in this case) going to Chops 3 times in one cruise.

I hope that makes more sense ...

Curt from Canada

The reason I'm confused is that in the "what's included" section of the 3 night dining plan it does say that Chef's Table is included but with an upcharge of $49.99. This is what happened with us on Odyssey last summer. We booked the 3 night dining plan and selected the Teppanyaki restaurant as one of our choices once onboard making all of our reservations. We were just charged the additional $15 fee in our onboard account after our supper there. 

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@Mturk ... agree, it is a part of some Dining Packages (make sure you read the fine print on each).  However, we wanted a particular night (there was only one night we wanted the Chef's Table) AND there were 5 of us.  We were worried if we waited to book the 5 spots at the Chef'sTable on the only night we wanted (once we got on the ship) it would be totally booked.  Therefore we:

  1. Booked the 3 night package (before the cruise).
  2. Booked the Chef's Table for all 5 on the night we wanted (before the cruise).
  3. "Cancelled" the Chef's Table booking (at $99.99 per person) and made sure that they did not cancel our reservation for 5 on the night we wanted.
  4. Paid $49.99 for Chef's Table on the night we went.

@Jill ... agree.  Although, I hate lines and they were able to do it for us at Chops on the first night.  My guess is we could have done this in the afternoon on embarkation day at one of the Speciality Restaurants as well.  The Guest Services line and I don't get alone too well. 😉

Curt from Canada

 

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17 hours ago, Mturk said:

Now I follow! The CC Shuffle was necessary to secure the date and time you wanted at Chef's Table.

Last posting ... honest.

Below is an example of a cruise where the "CC Shuffle" is not allowed (only Teppanyaki ... in this case):

CCShuffleNONCOMPLIANTEcample230319.thumb.png.009ebe7f706ea671932d4368144837ac.png

There is a similar issue with the Ultimate Dining Package.  

You need to read the fine print.

Curt from Canada

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  • 2 weeks later...

Does anyone have any experiences at Chefs Table? My wife and I did one on a competitors sailing about a year and a half ago, didn’t compare to a tasting menu that you would receive on land. So I’m wondering if it’s the same in a RC sailing? 

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31 minutes ago, VicB said:

Does anyone have any experiences at Chefs Table? My wife and I did one on a competitors sailing about a year and a half ago, didn’t compare to a tasting menu that you would receive on land. So I’m wondering if it’s the same in a RC sailing? 

We have been many times.  We love it, but it is not for everyone.  Pros and Cons below:

PRO:

  1. Great food prepared extremely well.  Nothing exotic, and most dishes are excellent.
  2. The wine pairing is quite good.  No wines are excellent, but all of them are very drinkable.  The pairing is done very well.
  3. I have a gluten problem, they are very accommodating and did a great job with the substitutions.
  4. Sometimes can be combined with the 3 night dinning package (look above for the "CC Shuffle").  This is important on small ships with 1 or 2 specialty restaurants.
  5. We like other people, so the conversation can be very enjoyable.

CON:

  1. Tons of food (too much for us).  Plan the entire evening, because you will "roll back to your room".
  2. Too much to drink (too much for us).  Plan the entire evening, because you will "roll back to your room" ... possibly a slow next morning. 😉

I hope that helps ...

Curt from Canada

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21 hours ago, VicB said:

Does anyone have any experiences at Chefs Table? My wife and I did one on a competitors sailing about a year and a half ago, didn’t compare to a tasting menu that you would receive on land. So I’m wondering if it’s the same in a RC sailing? 

Here is one example of the Menu with the pairings listed.

image.thumb.png.2b8ee0f9502ea1b3b09337089ddedee5.png

The wine paring is optional and a guest may choose to exclude that and just do the dining and select their own drink.  Our waiter did bring all the adults at the table the Martini at the end of the meal regardless of having the paring or not.

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They do take food allergies or not like. I have a problem with the scallops so I get something beef related. And (horrors I know) don't like coffee so I get just a chocolate martini.  I also think that the wines could change with the ship and the sommelier.

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15 hours ago, ScooterScott22 said:

Here is one example of the Menu with the pairings listed.

image.thumb.png.2b8ee0f9502ea1b3b09337089ddedee5.png

The wine paring is optional and a guest may choose to exclude that and just do the dining and select their own drink.  Our waiter did bring all the adults at the table the Martini at the end of the meal regardless of having the paring or not.

Is the pairing extra or included in the cost?

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On 4/4/2023 at 12:28 AM, VicB said:

Is the pairing extra or included in the cost?

Not really sure since we have only done Chef's Table on our Star Class sailings.  Pretty sure there is a flat fee with the wines and a different flat fee if you opt out but I think that the cost difference is only like $20.  Maybe someone else can confirm.

I have heard reports of people getting non-alcoholic/non-wine pairings with courses, they match some other drink to the course .

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On 4/5/2023 at 8:17 AM, ScooterScott22 said:

Not really sure since we have only done Chef's Table on our Star Class sailings.  Pretty sure there is a flat fee with the wines and a different flat fee if you opt out but I think that the cost difference is only like $20.  Maybe someone else can confirm.

I have heard reports of people getting non-alcoholic/non-wine pairings with courses, they match some other drink to the course .

Scooter is correct.  The full price includes wine, but you can get a discount by not having it ... the discount was not that much, but if you do not drink it is an option.

We have considered it, just haven't costed it out yet.

I hope this helps ...

Curt from Canada

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The other con for us having done the Chef’s table is the menu does not vary. We have done it 4 times now and it has always been the same menu. I guess they do this to keep the wine pairings consistent but it would be nice if they had 2-3 different menus that could be rotated.

We just got off Quantum and did the chefs table as part of our Star class dining. As I do not drink it did not cost me any extra but as Anita does it cost $25 USD for the wine. This annoys me a little as you already have the ultimate beverage package why should you pay extra for the glasses of wine at chefs table?  My mocktails included, coke etc are included.

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