Specialty In-Suite Dining

Greetings!

As I start mentally preparing for our first Oceania cruise in July, I have a question I haven't seen addressed elsewhere.

If we arrange in-suite dining from one of the specialty restaurants, does that count against our specialty restaurant reservation allotment?

Thanks so much for advising, Carla

No.

No ... the specialty restaurant reservations allotment are not counted for in-suite dining.

What is the allotment?

What is the allotment?

How many dining reservations am I allowed in each specialty restaurant?

Guests are permitted to make the following reservations in our specialty restaurants - which vary by ship, category and length of cruise:

Marina and Riviera

Owner’s Suite, Vista Suite and Oceania Suite

Cruises 7 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant

Cruises 8-17 days: 2 reservations at each restaurant

Cruises 18 days or more: 3 reservations at each restaurant

Penthouse Suite

Cruises 17 days or less: 1 reservations at each restaurant

Cruises 18 days or more: 2 reservations at each restaurant

Concierge Level Veranda, Veranda, Ocean View and Inside Stateroom

All cruises: 1 reservations at each restaurant

Insignia, Nautica, Regatta and Sirena

Concierge Level Veranda and above

Cruises 7 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant

Cruises 8-17 days: 2 reservations at each restaurant

Cruises 18 days or more: 3 reservations at each restaurant

All other categories

Cruises 17 days or less: 1 reservations at each restaurant

Cruises 18 days or more: 2 reservations at each restaurant

When can I make reservations in the specialty restaurant?

Specialty restaurant reservations may be made in advance in the Booked Cruises section of My Account on our website, or by phone, according to the schedule below, and may be changed up until 7 days prior to sailing. Reservations must be paid in full prior to making reservations. Reservations may also be made onboard. Guests with priority embarkation privileges (Concierge and above) will have Priority Reservations from 11:00am until 1:00pm in Polo Grill. Guests in other staterooms can make their specialty restaurant reservations from 1:00pm - 5pm.

Owner’s Suite, Vista Suite and Oceania Suite

Advance reservations may be made on the date final payment is due and has been received, which varies between 90 and 150 days, depending on length of sailing.

Penthouse Suite

Reservations may be made 75 days prior to sailing, if the booking is paid in full.

Concierge Level Veranda

Reservations may be made 60 days prior to sailing, if the booking is paid in full.

All Other Categories

Reservations may be made 45 days prior to sailing, if the booking is paid in full.

Thank you all so very much--I'm going to have a happy hubby!

I'm not a big fan of Italian food but I told hubby I'd do Toscana once. The fact that he can order from there for in-suite dining will make him very happy. I'm sure I can find something on their dessert menu for dinner! Maybe have the fruit plate as my entrée and the caramelized cheesecake for dessert....

Please be aware that since the Polo Grill and Toscana share a kitchen, a couple can order off both menus while dining in suite. So you can order anything you like from PG while he orders Italian. If on an O ship, one cannot order from Red Ginger or Jacques and another Specialty because those are separate kitchens located in different areas on the ship.

Pinotlover--thank you! That is so great to know, as there are several dishes at the Polo Grill that look amazing. That's a much better solution than trying to stuff myself with tea sandwiches in the afternoon. Not saying that might not happen anyway!

Please be aware that since the Polo Grill and Toscana share a kitchen, a couple can order off both menus while dining in suite. So you can order anything you like from PG while he orders Italian. If on an O ship, one cannot order from Red Ginger or Jacques and another Specialty because those are separate kitchens located in different areas on the ship.

I noticed on the O web site under “butler services” the following. Does anyone know what the limitations are? Is this referring to the quote above?

• Course-by-course in-suite dining+
  
• Order in from any of our specialty restaurants+
  
• +certain limitations apply
  

Those are the only limitations that I know off, both parties must order from the same kitchen. So PG&T, or Jacques, or Red Ginger can be selected because they are separate kitchens, but intermingling is not allowed. I would suppose ordering from the GDR menu, since that is now available, would be handled likewise, but cannot confirm.

The only other in-suite issue that I know of revolves around the definition of in suite. The Butler may/can choose to not serve you on your veranda, but only “Inside “ the cabin, especially when the ship is sailing. One is always free to take their food onto the veranda, but the Butler May choose to serve/place it on the provided table inside. Butler ‘s Call.

Also, one is supposed to notify their Butler early in the day that they want to dine in suite, so they can plan for it. Calling him at 18:30 , if he already has 8 -10 other in suites might get you a NO, or a very late service at best.

Those are the only limitations that I know off, both parties must order from the same kitchen. So PG&T, or Jacques, or Red Ginger can be selected because they are separate kitchens, but intermingling is not allowed. I would suppose ordering from the GDR menu, since that is now available, would be handled likewise, but cannot confirm.

 

The only other in-suite issue that I know of revolves around the definition of in suite. The Butler may/can choose to not serve you on your veranda, but only “Inside “ the cabin, especially when the ship is sailing. One is always free to take their food onto the veranda, but the Butler May choose to serve/place it on the provided table inside. Butler ‘s Call.

 

Also, one is supposed to notify their Butler early in the day that they want to dine in suite, so they can plan for it. Calling him at 18:30 , if he already has 8 -10 other in suites might get you a NO, or a very late service at best.

Thanks, I knew about the advising early in the day just wondered if the butler had many other suites it could cause service to be limited and that would be an obvious limitation.

The Butler may/can choose to not serve you on your veranda, but only “Inside “ the cabin, especially when the ship is sailing. One is always free to take their food onto the veranda, but the Butler May choose to serve/place it on the provided table inside. Butler ‘s Call.

I've always maintained that dinner service on a penthouse veranda is ridiculous.

Let me add another limitation that , to me, should have been self evident but upset some on a past cruise.

One can only order in suite from the Specialties during the posted hours the Specialties are open. No you can’t order at get served a 5:00 or 5:30! Only after the kitchen is open and until it closes!

Be aware that, as in my one Suite O experience, the butler had 'excuses' about why I shouldn't bother with in-suite specialty dining.

1) tiny awkward table space

2) problematic delivering courses hot.

So be 'on guard' against Butler 'push-back'.

Mini-Riviera-review: food quality, service v. good but I'd rather have 3 Celebrity cruises (with specialty dining, Elite+ perks (e.g. free bevs)) vs 2 O cruises for similar overall $.

GOOD LUCK

I'd rather have 3 Celebrity cruises (with specialty dining, Elite+ perks (e.g. free bevs)) vs 2 O cruises for similar overall $.

Perhaps a valid way of looking at things, but for many people who sail Oceania, time is just as important an arbiter as cost.

If one can only "afford" a certain time away from the office, quality counts for more.

Greydog, CC doesn't want me to respond ... they say my message is too short when it is FAR from short, So I will try again ...

Be aware that, as in my one Suite O experience, the butler had 'excuses' about why I shouldn't bother with in-suite specialty dining.

We never had that experience ourselves! You may have been "lucky" with your butler. Our butlers have always been happy to accommodate.

Mostly we have ordered "in" when in a VS or OC (on the big ships) which yes have more space available. But in a PH, even on Marina/Riviera, it can be tight. I have found it more convenient to order in to a PH on the smaller ships, but maybe that's just me. I don't like the placement of the table in the Marina/Riviera PH cabins, but it's still workable.

1) tiny awkward table space

In a concierge room that's true. In a PH or above, not so much (in my opinion).

2) problematic delivering courses hot.

Again, we haven't had that problem. Heck, some people have complained about food not being delivered hot when they are in the restaurant. I could see where this might be a problem when the food is being delivered to your suite ... but that has NOT been our experience.

So be 'on guard' against Butler 'push-back'.

If you have a reluctant butler, yes, you should "push back". We've just never have had that problem.

I WILL say that most of the time, even when it was announced "course by course" it was not. Usually we got the appetizer and main at the same time, then we called for our dessert. But on our last cruise our butler did indeed bring it in course by course. We would call when we were ready for the next one.

Mini-Riviera-review: food quality, service v. good but I'd rather have 3 Celebrity cruises (with specialty dining, Elite+ perks (e.g. free bevs)) vs 2 O cruises for similar overall $.

GOOD LUCK

Okay, I will NOT argue about your preference for Celebrity! We haven't tried them yet, although even our TA who started out with Renaissance and then Oceania (in our experience) is very positive about Celebrity. So we prefer Oceania without having tried your fave. Which doesn't mean we demean your opinion!

We're in the bigger suites when we cruise---we've never been turned down inside or outside. We always give plenty of notice and never over use the system. Sometimes we only want a sandwich or burger, maybe a lunch or two on the deck.

Those are the only limitations that I know off, both parties must order from the same kitchen. So PG&T, or Jacques, or Red Ginger can be selected because they are separate kitchens, but intermingling is not allowed. I would suppose ordering from the GDR menu, since that is now available, would be handled likewise, but cannot confirm.

 

The only other in-suite issue that I know of revolves around the definition of in suite. The Butler may/can choose to not serve you on your veranda, but only “Inside “ the cabin, especially when the ship is sailing. One is always free to take their food onto the veranda, but the Butler May choose to serve/place it on the provided table inside. Butler ‘s Call.

 

Also, one is supposed to notify their Butler early in the day that they want to dine in suite, so they can plan for it. Calling him at 18:30 , if he already has 8 -10 other in suites might get you a NO, or a very late service at best.

Hello

i have noticed that some outside tours i have booked leave quite early in am.

Do you have any experience with in room breakfast prior to 700am which is before restaurants open. we are in veranda room thank you. jane G

Hello

i have noticed that some outside tours i have booked leave quite early in am.

Do you have any experience with in room breakfast prior to 700am which is before restaurants open. we are in veranda room thank you. jane G

If the Port is such that the major attractions mostly require an early set off, then the restaurant hours are typically adjusted.

If only a few are leaving the ship early, then you'll be restricted to the Room Service Menu which is offered 24/7.

Don’t confuse the Room Service Kitchen, which is open 24/7 and the kitchens and menus from the Specialties and GDR. Two entirely different entities. That is where some of the confusion and limitations are coming from.

The food served for Course by course In suite dining from the Specialty Restaurants is coming from the kitchens of those specific restaurants, not from the kitchen providing the room service menu. Huge difference! That is why orders must come from only one kitchen and can only be placed during the regular operating hours of the specific restaurants. All other meals come from the room service menu and facilities.

Hello

i have noticed that some outside tours i have booked leave quite early in am.

Do you have any experience with in room breakfast prior to 700am which is before restaurants open. we are in veranda room thank you. jane G

Please be aware that on Oceania if you are in a room category lower than Concierge Class you will only have a continental breakfast menu available. No hot menu.

Please be aware that on Oceania if you are in a room category lower than Concierge Class you will only have a continental breakfast menu available. No hot menu.

That is not true, Orv, the 24 hour menu has many hot items on it......as I recall, one may even order a steak.

There are no hot breakfast items.

That is not true, Orv, the 24 hour menu has many hot items on it......as I recall, one may even order a steak.

There are no hot breakfast items.

Yes, yes, I should have been more specific. I was referring to breakfast, I should have said that.

thanks so much for the info. jane g