Regatta Dinners ??

If someone can remind me how dining works on Regatta?

We are booked on a July Alaska Cruise and will make final payment sometime in March. Atfter final payment, do you need to pre-reserve your meals on-line, or can you book them onboard?

Also, are there 2 sittings for the main dining room? We like to eat early (and often). :rolleyes:

Any helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. - Curt.

You show up at the GDR or Terrace between the hours they are open usually 6:30 to 9 -9:30 pm

For specialties you are best to sign up online when your time slot opens up for reservations

it is open dining ...go when they open then go back before they close ;)

Open seating in the restaurants although you need reservations for the specialty restaurants (so there you are limited to the time you choose and whether you want to share a table or not). Depending on your room category you can make those online prior to boarding, but you don't HAVE to.

If you are eating in the Grand Dining Room, just show up when you want and tell the maitre d' if you want to share a table or not. The buffet of course is "just show up".

Mura

How do you make specialty dining reservations online? Do you go to your booking online? Is there a place there to make the reservations?

How do you make specialty dining reservations online? Do you go to your booking online? Is there a place there to make the reservations?

Sign in on website and you should see your next booked cruise. Click "manage this booking." Choose "dining" and, if your pre-cruise reservation window is open (date depends on cabin level) the selection software appears.

Your invoice should also tell you the day specialty reservations open for your category stateroom. The good times tend to go fast so many will sign in at 12:01am on said day and book them.

Your invoice should also tell you the day specialty reservations open for your category stateroom. The good times tend to go fast so many will sign in at 12:01am on said day and book them.

I'm curious, what time slots are considered "good times"?

It's usually easier to get an early time (which I understand you prefer) or a late one. It's also easier to get a table (when trying to get extra reservations while on board at least) if you are willing to share.

First reservation is 6:30 in the specialties.

It's more difficult to get the 7:30-8:30 time as you get closer to the sail date. Or at least that's the way I remember it!

We can get around the problem often by arranging to have dinner with another couple (or two) that we've met on the Roll Call. Getting a table for 2 can sometimes be more difficult.

Mura

I'm curious, what time slots are considered "good times"?

Yes. Times around 7 or 8. Also certain days "sell out" faster like sea days etc. For example on our upcoming I could only get several 6:30 seatings and one 9pm seating. And none on our four sea days.

Yes. Times around 7 or 8. Also certain days "sell out" faster like sea days etc. For example on our upcoming I could only get several 6:30 seatings and one 9pm seating. And none on our four sea days.

Gotcha - good to know. Thanks!

I APPRECIATE ALL THE INFO. - CURT(OP)

A couple more follow up questions:

1) Specialty Restaurants: Can you go more than once to a certain venue? It sounded like from one response here that you could if you wait and share a table and they are not that busy, perhaps. On Crystal, we were able to do Nobu's restaurant a couple of times by just showing up and asking. Perhaps a tip to the MD may help?

2) MDR food: Is it pretty good? Any suggestions for their best meals?

3) Cancellation policy: We do not usually change our minds, but occasionally something may come up. Is the Maitre D' pretty flexible, if you give them enough notice?

Thanks again to you frequent O cruisers for advice. This is just our 2nd Oceania cruise. Hopefully many more to come.

We were big Celebrity people for years. Celebrity has changed however, and not in a good way.

I APPRECIATE ALL THE INFO. - CURT(OP)

 

A couple more follow up questions:

 

1) Specialty Restaurants: Can you go more than once to a certain venue? It sounded like from one response here that you could if you wait and share a table and they are not that busy, perhaps. On Crystal, we were able to do Nobu's restaurant a couple of times by just showing up and asking. Perhaps a tip to the MD may help?

 

2) MDR food: Is it pretty good? Any suggestions for their best meals?

3) Cancellation policy: We do not usually change our minds, but occasionally something may come up. Is the Maitre D' pretty flexible, if you give them enough notice?

 

Thanks again to you frequent O cruisers for advice. This is just our 2nd Oceania cruise. Hopefully many more to come.

 

We were big Celebrity people for years. Celebrity has changed however, and not in a good way.

For the specialties - you are allocated a certain number of visits per venue based on two factors: The length of the cruise and the category of cabin/suite you book. Here's the deets (scroll down to dining FAQs): https://www.oceaniacruises.com/faq/

You can also ask if you can dine outside of your allocated reservations, though we've never tried it. Offering to share a table ALWAYS results in better availability even for your allocated reservations.

MDR food is excellent. I've sailed quite a few different lines and Oceania hands down has the best food. Not EVERYTHING is amazing, but most is very very good. They try very hard and pride themselves on their food. If you are on the smaller R class ships, a feature from Red Ginger and Jaques will be on the menu each night (since those restaurants aren't on those ships). Also don't forget about the terrace buffet for dinner. Head and shoulders above what you think of when someone says "cruise ship buffet". :)

As for the cancelling the specialties (you don't make reservations for the MDR), you can reschedule, however keep in mind that by then you'll almost certainly need to share a table and won't get the "prime" dining times if you are able to get another reservation at all. Best to plan this out and book as soon as you can online. Again, reservations go fast BEFORE the cruise even sails.

One final tip - don't miss the coffee at Baristas if you enjoy good coffee. Also their finger sandwiches are really good. I sometimes just eat three or four of those (smoked salmon is yummy!) for lunch. Enjoy - I expect you'll be impressed with the food. Certainly some of if not THE best food on a cruise ship.

Do Afternoon Tea at 4:00 PM in Horizon. The scones with clotted cream and jam are amazing as are the little sandwiches and other sweets.

Cheers,

Don

…and if you're in an OS, VS, or PH, you can always have dinner in your suite/cabin, during normal dining hours (6:30-9), delivered by your butler. If you do so, s/he will appreciate as much advanced notice as possible. But, Oceania butlers spin on a dime, so….

I APPRECIATE ALL THE INFO. - CURT(OP)

 

A couple more follow up questions:

 

1) Specialty Restaurants: Can you go more than once to a certain venue? It sounded like from one response here that you could if you wait and share a table and they are not that busy, perhaps. On Crystal, we were able to do Nobu's restaurant a couple of times by just showing up and asking. Perhaps a tip to the MD may help?

 

2) MDR food: Is it pretty good? Any suggestions for their best meals?

3) Cancellation policy: We do not usually change our minds, but occasionally something may come up. Is the Maitre D' pretty flexible, if you give them enough notice?

 

 

Thanks again to you frequent O cruisers for advice. This is just our 2nd Oceania cruise. Hopefully many more to come.

 

We were big Celebrity people for years. Celebrity has changed however, and not in a good way.

Re 1..... Do not try to tip (bribe) the Maitre D' .......sometime ago another poster mentioned this.......I believe the crew member involved is no longer employed by Oceania.

For the specialties - you are allocated a certain number of visits per venue based on two factors: The length of the cruise and the category of cabin/suite you book. Here's the deets (scroll down to dining FAQs): https://www.oceaniacruises.com/faq/

 

You can also ask if you can dine outside of your allocated reservations, though we've never tried it. Offering to share a table ALWAYS results in better availability even for your allocated reservations.

 

MDR food is excellent. I've sailed quite a few different lines and Oceania hands down has the best food. Not EVERYTHING is amazing, but most is very very good. They try very hard and pride themselves on their food. If you are on the smaller R class ships, a feature from Red Ginger and Jaques will be on the menu each night (since those restaurants aren't on those ships). Also don't forget about the terrace buffet for dinner. Head and shoulders above what you think of when someone says "cruise ship buffet". :)

 

As for the cancelling the specialties (you don't make reservations for the MDR), you can reschedule, however keep in mind that by then you'll almost certainly need to share a table and won't get the "prime" dining times if you are able to get another reservation at all. Best to plan this out and book as soon as you can online. Again, reservations go fast BEFORE the cruise even sails.

 

One final tip - don't miss the coffee at Baristas if you enjoy good coffee. Also their finger sandwiches are really good. I sometimes just eat three or four of those (smoked salmon is yummy!) for lunch. Enjoy - I expect you'll be impressed with the food. Certainly some of if not THE best food on a cruise ship.

I am salivating already. We will take some of your suggestions. As I mentioned, we were big Celebrity cruisers during their Golden Years. The Food on Celebrity used to be top notch. Looking forward to GREAT food once again!

Do Afternoon Tea at 4:00 PM in Horizon. The scones with clotted cream and jam are amazing as are the little sandwiches and other sweets.

 

Cheers,

 

Don

Funny thing, we have a purported Scone Bakery/Cafe here in Long Beach. I asked them if they have clotted cream and lemon curd. They looked at me like I just drank my own bath water. They were absolutely clueless about my request, and yet their establishment has "Scone" in the name. The answer BTW was "no they do not".

Another funny Scone Story. My wife and I were visiting Stonehenge and decided to have some Scones at the Visitor Center snack shack after our exploration of the place. My wife told the very British attendant there that you should rename this place "Sconehenge" . Again, the look of total confusion from the joke recipient.

What ever happened to British Humor, aka Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Rowan Atkinson, Benny Hill..... ?? :D