Dining Reservations Refresher

OK, I need a refresher: To make specialty restaurant reservations, what choices come first, second, third? If the time is more important to me than the venue or shared versus non-shared, what should my strategy be? Since we're in the last category to book and only get 4 (Marina) I know some slots will already be filled (especially on sea days). Therefore, I want to be prepared.

I look for the time first for each restaurant

we like to eat early so the 1 st with the time I want I book

do not care what date unless it is a special occasion

I would go with timing first, especially on those days you are in port. Which restaurant doesn't matter, since you get to experience all 4 at some point. We prefer a reservation that allows us some time after returning to the ship to get dressed and freshen up a bit and enjoy a cocktail at the bar before heading to dinner. We also very much enjoyed sharing a table instead of dining alone.

Are reservations really necessary to book online before the cruise?

I know that on other cruise lines, only a certain number of times will be allotted when booking online. Many people think the restaurants are getting full. Yet, once onboard, there end up being plenty of times available.;) Of course, these are for paying venue's and not free like they are on Oceania.

Are reservations really necessary to book online before the cruise?

 

I know that on other cruise lines, only a certain number of times will be allotted when booking online. Many people think the restaurants are getting full. Yet, once onboard, there end up being plenty of times available.;) Of course, these are for paying venue's and not free like they are on Oceania.

No, it's not essential. However, if you are computer literate it does seem to be a good plan to at least plan on one reservation per restaurant in advance. They DO hold back room for booking on board because probably more passengers are computer illiterate than are literate.

But if you have a particular time you want to dine, if you have a particular group of people with whom you want to dine ... that kind of thing ... doing so in advance is helpful.

Even though we are not particularly desirous of specialty restaurant reservations, we always book one reservation per restaurant that we want as soon as we can. (By that I mean we like Toscana, Polo and Jacques but don't care about Red Ginger.) We talk on the Roll Call with people with whom we'd like to dine ... and if we don't have anyone in that category, then we say we are willing to share. We've had many wonderful dinners with people we didn't know that way. We do prefer to share rather than have a table for two, but if we have to dine alone -- that's okay!

You will NOT have to book ahead to get a reservation, but you might need to book ahead to get the time you want to have dinner OR if you want a table for two as opposed to sharing.

Mura

I was hoping to find someone who remembers the actual order of the screens you use to make your reservations. For example, are you first asked to pick a restaurant? I'm probably making this more complicated than necessary, but I want to be able to go in tomorrow morning and make reservations as quickly as I can without a lot of time spent going back and forth, looking for good times and days and venues. I do know which nights I'd prefer (sea days, plus days where we leave the port a bit earlier than usual, etc.) and I like sharing and non-sharing pretty equally, so I guess I'll just start with one restaurant and take it from there.

As for making reservations, yes, I could probably wait until we're on board, but I'd rather not, as then I might have to settle for very early or very late times, which I don't want. Since the restaurants are included in the cruise price and are very popular, waiting is not the thing to do unless you're not picky about what day and when you eat. Since we're in the last group to book, there won't be unlimited choices and I know some searching will be required. I'm just trying to reduce it!

The Online Reservation process begins by selecting the Restaurant, at which time the remaining "open time slots" will show.

Please note that those slots will disappear as other cruisers make their selections, so I would not suggest switching back and forth between venues.

In order to avoid disappointment, I'd suggest making the Reservation for the night which is most important to you, first, and then working your way out to the least important evening, last. Submit your selection(s) immediately, he who hesitates will lose their time window!

EVERYBODY wants sea days and short port days, except the people who are oblivious to everything, and most of those folks don't reserve ahead, anyway. :o

The Online Reservation process begins by selecting the Restaurant, at which time the remaining "open time slots" will show.

 

Please note that those slots will disappear as other cruisers make their selections, so I would not suggest switching back and forth between venues.

 

In order to avoid disappointment, I'd suggest making the Reservation for the night which is most important to you, first, and then working your way out to the least important evening, last. Submit your selection(s) immediately, he who hesitates will lose their time window!

 

EVERYBODY wants sea days and short port days, except the people who are oblivious to everything, and most of those folks don't reserve ahead, anyway. :o

Thanks! When you choose, say, Polo, do you then get a list of open days/times, or do you have to select a day after that, then a time of the available slots? I think last year those two things were separate, which made it more complicated. Also, where (well, I guess it might be "when") do you choose sharing or non-sharing?

Thanks! When you choose, say, Polo, do you then get a list of open days/times, or do you have to select a day after that, then a time of the available slots? I think last year those two things were separate, which made it more complicated. Also, where (well, I guess it might be "when") do you choose sharing or non-sharing?

After you choose the Restaurant, the next screen shows the days which still have open Reservation times, select a Day (Date) and the available Time-Slots will appear.

After selecting the Slot, you will be prompted to choose a "sharing" or "non sharing" reservation.

Please note that nothing is "set" until you submit your request and get a confirmation from the Line. Don't dawdle thinking that a half made reservation will hold your place.

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for, and it sounds like it's a better system now. One more question, if anyone knows: We can reserve tomorrow. If I'm still up at midnight tonight (EST) will I be able to reserve then?

Lots of people have said that they do ... I've never been so desperate for a res that I did so!

For the record, when I've checked in WITHIN the period, I've had no problem. Then again, I'm usually in a PH or above ... if you are in a lower category (I think you said you were?), then the early bird may get the worm.

Mura

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for, and it sounds like it's a better system now. One more question, if anyone knows: We can reserve tomorrow. If I'm still up at midnight tonight (EST) will I be able to reserve then?

Difficult to say, because sometimes the reservation date changes at midnight, and other times they seem to need to give it a bit of a goose in Miami.

I'd suggest trying after midnight, and if that does not work, start trying again after 8AM (Miami time).

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for, and it sounds like it's a better system now. One more question, if anyone knows: We can reserve tomorrow. If I'm still up at midnight tonight (EST) will I be able to reserve then?

Same system for a few years now

Yes you can book at 12:01 EST

I agree, always do it on line before you leave---as soon as you can. We're always in the Owners Suite or OS...and once I didn't get what I would have liked because I waited. Once on the ship I was able to change things around.

Rick

The early bird definitely gets the worm, and while I've managed to get fairly decent reservations by reserving on the morning my window opens up, I think I'll wait up tonight and give it a try. It's an 18 day cruise, which means that people in suites get more than one reservation in each restaurant. It's also a pretty full cruise from what I can tell, with more than the usual number of sea days. Therefore, I sense that I shouldn't wait...

Then again, eating two nights in a row in specialty restaurants, or eating at 6:30 a couple times won't be a catastrophe, so if I fall asleep, I fall asleep! I'll let you know how I did tomorrow.

Mura, thank you! :)

OK, all done. That was definitely not the set of screens I used June or July 2014. They were much easier and faster to see what was available. Sharing or non-sharing came a lot earlier than as described above, but that's OK - we like both options, and you could switch around pretty easily as long as you didn't want to go back to the first screen.

Not sure if the times are always supposed to be 6:30, 7:30, etc. with nothing in between, but in any case, that's what I got. I waffled between 6:30 and 7:30 and finally went for 6:30, thinking it's better to be not totally ready for dinner than it is to be hungry and waiting! Got my reservations nicely spaced out, and went for 2 shared tables and 2 non-shared. I figure if we want to eat with anyone we meet onboard, that's easy enough in the main dining room or Terrace.

Thanks for the help. It was easy and fast this time. Now if the almost 7 weeks before my cruise would just come fast!

Just booked our speciality restaurants and it is a different system (much better)

Has any one seen this message when making reservations?

"At least one reservation must be made after 'date'"

It won't allow me to reserve the last of the allowed number.

I am not too concerned but wonder what it means.

Has any one seen this message when making reservations?

"At least one reservation must be made after 'date'"

It won't allow me to reserve the last of the allowed number.

I am not too concerned but wonder what it means.

Yes - on longer cruises (or on B2B cruises) they want you to book your second set (or your later) reservations after a certain date. This is presumably to leave the dates open for others booking later?

I saw this for the first time recently.

I make reservations online and it's very simple.

OK, one more quick question: When is the nightly show (usually)? Also, there's normally only one, right? I don't go to too many (except "special guests" one) but I do want to be done with dinner by then.

OK, one more quick question: When is the nightly show (usually)? Also, there's normally only one, right? I don't go to too many (except "special guests" one) but I do want to be done with dinner by then.

9:30 or 9:45 pm as usual

if they have any special ones you will not know until the night before when you read "THE CURRENTS"

After you choose the Restaurant, the next screen shows the days which still have open Reservation times, select a Day (Date) and the available Time-Slots will appear.

 

After selecting the Slot, you will be prompted to choose a "sharing" or "non sharing" reservation.

 

Please note that nothing is "set" until you submit your request and get a confirmation from the Line. Don't dawdle thinking that a half made reservation will hold your place.

This is our first O cruise and we are travelling with friends who are on a different booking reference, when I make our reservations in five days time I want to book a table and then add our friends to it (they realise they won't be able to make reservations of their own). How does that work, do I select "sharing" or "non-sharing"?

This is our first O cruise and we are travelling with friends who are on a different booking reference, when I make our reservations in five days time I want to book a table and then add our friends to it (they realise they won't be able to make reservations of their own). How does that work, do I select "sharing" or "non-sharing"?

Why can't they make them on their own? As far as I know ANY booked passenger can make dining reservations on their own. They just have to have available their booking number.

As to adding them to your reservation, it depends on if you are both in the same category or not. For example, if you are in a higher category that can book reservations before they are eligible, just make your reservation. Don't say "yes" to sharing because then they will pair you up with strangers.

When they are eligible you can add them to your reservation. If you are in the same category, then you can just ask for a table for 4 when you book the reservations. You will need their booking number.

If this is puzzling to you, email me and I'll say more ...

Mura