Specialty Restaurant Reservations

We are new to Oceania, and prefer to dine alone. When I tried making on-line reservations for the specialty restaurants (table for 2) there was no availability at all for Jacques and only 9PM slots for Polo Grill.

9PM is too late for my 93 year old father so I guess my only hope is trying to get something once on board.

(1) Does the ship hold out some space (i.e., not available to book on-line) in each of the specialty restaurants for passengers who wait to book once they board the ship?

(2) Once on board, is there a central location where one goes to check on the availability in the specialties? Or, do you have to go to each place individually?

(3) Can you begin to make new specialty reservations or add additional ones as soon as you get aboard ship...or not until dinner time that first day?

Thanks for any insight and/or tips you can provide.

Dr. J

We have always had a butler who made our on board dinner reservations for us but if you do not have one I suggest you go to the restaurant in question early one evening (before they get really busy) and ask the Maître d'Hôtel for a reservation at a later date.

There is no central place where you can book all the restaurants once on board. And since you have to do this with the Maître d' you will have to wait until he comes to work - 1830 when the restaurants usually open.

Otherwise - the Grand Dining Room serves wonderful food and we have never had a problem just walking in and getting a table for two. The Terrace Café is my favourite open seating option for dinner though and on a nice evening you can dine outside. Again, plenty of tables for two early on. Later you will probably have to wait but you say you want to eat early anyway. At the Terrace you can have grilled lobster - any evening! - which is why I love it!!

Just speak to whoever is on the restaurant reservation desk in the lobby....They will deal with all your restaurant Reservations, or, if you have one, you Butler will arrange bookings for you.

We are new to Oceania, and prefer to dine alone. When I tried making on-line reservations for the specialty restaurants (table for 2) there was no availability at all for Jacques and only 9PM slots for Polo Grill.

 

9PM is too late for my 93 year old father so I guess my only hope is trying to get something once on board.

 

(1) Does the ship hold out some space (i.e., not available to book on-line) in each of the specialty restaurants for passengers who wait to book once they board the ship?

 

(2) Once on board, is there a central location where one goes to check on the availability in the specialties? Or, do you have to go to each place individually?

 

(3) Can you begin to make new specialty reservations or add additional ones as soon as you get aboard ship...or not until dinner time that first day?

 

Thanks for any insight and/or tips you can provide.

 

Dr. J

There is a restaurant reservation desk in the lobby which seems to be manned all day. I was told space is held for those who book once onboard. As far as I could tell you may visit the desk in the lobby ASAP.

Sorry to disagree with you Gerry.

There indeed is a central place to make these bookings.

It is on deck 5 near the shops and opposite to the concierge desk.

It's best to try to make any bookings or changes as soon as possible.

This is the place to make specialty reservations on all days after the first day; on embarkation day there are several different places to make specialty restaurant reservations depending on one's Oceania Club level.

In the meantime, do book the online shared reservations at the time you prefer. Not only is it a backup plan (beyond requests for additional reservations at concierge desk on day 1 and daily thereafter) but you might get lucky when you show up for the shared dinner time.

Another thought, since you're new to O: a lot of the passengers are fairly well traveled with interesting professional lives. Conversations can be quite interesting!

True, in the lobby level you can book. However if you do have a butler, the higher your suite the better the booking----if you have an Owners Suite you have nothing to worry about.

In the meantime, do book the online shared reservations at the time you prefer. Not only is it a backup plan (beyond requests for additional reservations at concierge desk on day 1 and daily thereafter) but you might get lucky when you show up for the shared dinner time.

Another thought, since you're new to O: a lot of the passengers are fairly well traveled with interesting professional lives. Conversations can be quite interesting!

Ditto! I would definitely make advance reservations for the specialty restaurants, even if for shared tables, and then go to the reservations desk to make the change to a table for 2 if any are available.

I really wish that you would reconsider dining alone and opt to share a table. We dined with so many interesting, well-travelled couples on our cruise. Conversation never stopped flowing. It was great. However, I would opt for a table for 6 instead of 4 whenever possible.

Why do you recommend six over four? Better chance of no conversation lull or more compatibility? If you like to attend the evening show or trivia, the more people at your table, the longer the dinner; someone always orders every course or, even ruder, strangers feel no obligation to show up on time in our experience. Whole different story if you already are cruise friends.

I very much enjoy leisurely dining on vacation, but two hours is more my goal than three or more.