Specialty Dining Reservations on Cruise Planner

[Al Horner]

I'm going to be on the Symphony OTS in 198 days (May 2019). I was wondering when Specialty Dining Reservations would become available on the RCL Cruise Planner?

[Matt]

It varies considerably. Keep checking back, as there is no set timeframe.

[Al Horner]

OK, I must be a Cruise Planner illiterate. I am on the Symphony of the Seas in 115 days. I have the four meal specialty dining package. I (think) I understand that they will book a meal on day 1 or 2 of the cruise and if I don't want that I can change it, once I'm on the ship. In the meantime, reservations for other specialty restaurants are now possible through the Cruise Planner. BUT!!! It appears that I can not make reservations for specialty restaurants based on my specialty dining package and (??) I have to wait to get on the ship to schedule those specialty meals? So, particular restaurants on particular dates and times may already be sold out by the time I get on the ship. This makes it kind of hard to plan. Throw in trying to get My Time Dining (which I did get) and, because I can't plan the specialty meals in advance - I scheduled MTD for every night which evidently screws up trying to schedule anything else. So, I'm getting ready to go back in and cancel MTD. Now, I know that I really am not a computer genius but this does seem to be overly complicated.

[twangster]

Just now, kontraxed said:

OK, I must be a Cruise Planner illiterate. I am on the Symphony of the Seas in 115 days. I have the four meal specialty dining package. I (think) I understand that they will book a meal on day 1 or 2 of the cruise and if I don't want that I can change it, once I'm on the ship. In the meantime, reservations for other specialty restaurants are now possible through the Cruise Planner. BUT!!! It appears that I can not make reservations for specialty restaurants based on my specialty dining package and (??) I have to wait to get on the ship to schedule those specialty meals? So, particular restaurants on particular dates and times may already be sold out by the time I get on the ship. This makes it kind of hard to plan. Throw in trying to get My Time Dining (which I did get) and, because I can't plan the specialty meals in advance - I scheduled MTD for every night which evidently screws up trying to schedule anything else. So, I'm getting ready to go back in and cancel MTD. Now, I know that I really am not a computer genius but this does seem to be overly complicated.

Dining packages are offered at a discount compared to pre-booking each restaurant individually.  The compromise you must accept is not being to make specific reservations ahead of time.  You get it cheaper but have to have some flexibility. 

In many cases if you make it a priority upon boarding you can get very close to your ideal times and venues.  If you wait upon boarding and deal with it in the evening or on day 2 you are less likely to get the times and venues you want.  

If there are specific restaurants, day and time you "must have" then you are better to book them individually and accept the higher price.  

[WAAAYTOOO]

Generally, when I book a dining package, I go ahead and make MTD reservations for all the days of the cruise, in advance.  Then when I get on board and decide when/where I want to eat at the Specialty restaurants, I cancel the MTD reservations that I will no longer need.

BTW, I have never failed to get into the restaurant at my desired time when I have booked a dining package as long as I take care of making the reservations on day 1.  The only time I have ever had trouble getting into a restaurant at a desired time was when I changed my mind and rebooked further into the week.

[tiny260]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

Dining packages are offered at a discount compared to pre-booking each restaurant individually.  The compromise you must accept is not being to make specific reservations ahead of time.  You get it cheaper but have to have some flexibility. 

In many cases if you make it a priority upon boarding you can get very close to your ideal times and venues.  If you wait upon boarding and deal with it in the evening or on day 2 you are less likely to get the times and venues you want.  

If there are specific restaurants, day and time you "must have" then you are better to book them individually and accept the higher price.  

@kontraxed , you are correct, if you had MTD set at a specific time and you tried to go in and make individual specialty dinning appointments at the same time, the system would error out and tell you that you had a scheduling conflict. So make your 1st night specialty, make your MTD reservations for the other nights, and then do as @twangster says and the first thing you do when you get on the ship is go make the rest of your Specialty dinning reservations and just tell the person doing them for you to cancel the MTD reservation on those same night.

@WAAAYTOOO is also correct, I have never had issues getting the times and dates I need when I do it first thing on embarkation day, if you wait later you will probably have to make some type of concession, either the date or time you want.

[billebuoy]

I just got back from a Cruise on Adventure, caught a 3 meal package for $60 each. Went to Chops on departure day, and made 2 reservations for sea-days, despite what was said, did not have to dine on the first night.
Picked the 3rd meal as a lunch at Giovanni's for the last at-sea day on day 5 the day before. Easy peasy, if they have an opening, they'll make it work, at least in my recent experience, "your mileage may vary", lol...
BTW, Giovanni's was great, I was disappointed in Chops. It was good, but not what I expect from a top tier steak joint..

 

[WAAAYTOOO]

8 hours ago, billebuoy said:

if they have an opening, they'll make it work

I think this is a good rule of thumb.  If they can do it, they will