Speciality reservation policy for couples eating together

[silkman]

I have TRIED to decipher it all...

What I gather is that several different people are using the SAME Cruise Critic screen name...

Apparently, there is a Stu...in NYC...who, I'll guess registered the screen name...His wife is Jean...and it appears she is using the same screen name/sign-in...So is Carol, the sister...and her husband Brian...I am not sure who is signing in each time or who started THIS thread...but, the history in the signature MAY belong to Stu while the thread may have been started by Carol...I think....

 

Then, as to the cruise history, apparently the Regatta cruise MAY be the upcoming MArch 29 cruise--because the StuNYC screen name has participated on the Roll Call thread there...

 

There is also a post suggesting that all four of them...perhaps...in some fashion or another...just cruised a back-to-back on Marina...a Caribbean and a TransAtlantic...

 

But, obviously, it's all a bit confused...

 

And, equally confused is the OP...

 

 

First of all, "upper suites" cannot get "all the reservations they want"...Those very few upper suites get two reservations in each specialy restaurant, everyone else gets one in each...

 

The "priority" means the order and timing of when you can make those reservations...Priority does NOT mean you eat there whenever you want...

 

...and additional reservations are available to everyone...on an "if available" basis...

 

So, why, on a 35 night cruise, could your sister eat in Polo so often? Because it was 35 nights!! Simple math...Oceania gives you the one or two advance reservations whether it is a 7 night cruise, a 16 night cruise or a 35 night cruise...If 684 passengers ...342 cabins...each get two advance reservations...on a shorter cruise, that total number of reservations will fill a large percentage of the slots...On a 35 night cruise, it fills the same number of slots--which leaves about four weeks worth of empty, unreserved tables...On a 35 night cruise, there is so much more available for the additional "if available" reservations...

 

Now, here's where I am reallly confused, OP, whoever you are...EXACTLY WHAT "wording" were you "taking literally"? I reread all the literature every time I cruise...I am somewhat obsessed...and I am a transactional attorney by profession...it is my job and my training to read everything carefully...and "literally"...I have NEVER seen anything in any wording provided by Oceania that has ever indicated I should be entitled to eat every meal in a specialty restaurant!

 

PLEASE point out this "wording" that, taken literally, would lead you to believe that...

 

If I ever need a good lawyer(hopefully I won't) I would certainly hire Steve. I'm impressed how he deciphered the "players" under the cruise critic screen name. Well ..maybe he could use a paralegal for some of the detective work , because his fees may be too steep.:rolleyes:

 

Linda ..looking forward to meeting you all on the British Isles cruise.

[Love.II.Cruise]

I have TRIED to decipher it all...

What I gather is that several different people are using the SAME Cruise Critic screen name...

Apparently, there is a Stu...in NYC...who, I'll guess registered the screen name...His wife is Jean...and it appears she is using the same screen name/sign-in...So is Carol, the sister...and her husband Brian...I am not sure who is signing in each time or who started THIS thread...but, the history in the signature MAY belong to Stu while the thread may have been started by Carol...I think....

 

Then, as to the cruise history, apparently the Regatta cruise MAY be the upcoming MArch 29 cruise--because the StuNYC screen name has participated on the Roll Call thread there...

 

There is also a post suggesting that all four of them...perhaps...in some fashion or another...just cruised a back-to-back on Marina...a Caribbean and a TransAtlantic...

 

But, obviously, it's all a bit confused...

 

And, equally confused is the OP...

 

 

First of all, "upper suites" cannot get "all the reservations they want"...Those very few upper suites get two reservations in each specialy restaurant, everyone else gets one in each...

 

The "priority" means the order and timing of when you can make those reservations...Priority does NOT mean you eat there whenever you want...

 

...and additional reservations are available to everyone...on an "if available" basis...

 

So, why, on a 35 night cruise, could your sister eat in Polo so often? Because it was 35 nights!! Simple math...Oceania gives you the one or two advance reservations whether it is a 7 night cruise, a 16 night cruise or a 35 night cruise...If 684 passengers ...342 cabins...each get two advance reservations...on a shorter cruise, that total number of reservations will fill a large percentage of the slots...On a 35 night cruise, it fills the same number of slots--which leaves about four weeks worth of empty, unreserved tables...On a 35 night cruise, there is so much more available for the additional "if available" reservations...

 

Now, here's where I am reallly confused, OP, whoever you are...EXACTLY WHAT "wording" were you "taking literally"? I reread all the literature every time I cruise...I am somewhat obsessed...and I am a transactional attorney by profession...it is my job and my training to read everything carefully...and "literally"...I have NEVER seen anything in any wording provided by Oceania that has ever indicated I should be entitled to eat every meal in a specialty restaurant!

 

PLEASE point out this "wording" that, taken literally, would lead you to believe that...

 

If I ever need a good lawyer(hopefully I won't) I would certainly hire Steve. I'm impressed how he deciphered the "players" under the cruise critic screen name. Well ..maybe he could use a paralegal for some of the detective work , because his fees may be too steep.:rolleyes:

 

Linda ..looking forward to meeting you all on the British Isles cruise.

 

ROFLMAO!!!! Awesome! Just Awesome. If I ever need a good lawyer, I'd hire Steve too! Now this has turned into on interesting thread. :D

[Mr Luxury]

It will be more interesting if any of the four posters reply.

Perhaps they could number themselves to make it easier for all.

[wripro]

Mura,

 

i can't speak for others who have a problem with the GDR on Marina. For me it is just to big. 1200 passengers is just too many to try and accommodate with open seating. Although there are crystal chandeliers and nice table settings the whole thing reminds me of a catering hall. To be sure I am a small ship sailor, (even the R ships are larger than what I normally sail on) and that could be influencing my impressions. But I also found the service to be of lesser quality, the food of lesser quality and the wait times to be too long. Perhaps, because the specialty restaurants are so extraordinary, the GDR seemed less impressive to me.

[Mura]

Wripro,

 

We've always been fans of the GDR on the "R" ships but it gets awfully loud in the center section, and so we actually prefer it on Marina. The few occasions when we had dinner there we had lots of empty tables around us. And we may just have been lucky as far as food and service are concerned!

 

I do agree that the specialty restaurants are a treat. But even Terrace is on the bigger ship ...

 

Having said that, the smaller "R" ships remain our preference.

 

Mura

[LHT28]

Wripro,

 

We've always been fans of the GDR on the "R" ships but it gets awfully loud in the center section, and so we actually prefer it on Marina. The few occasions when we had dinner there we had lots of empty tables around us.

Mura

 

We had the same experience

not very many people there at all

[RetiredFL]

Having sailed on both we prefer the GDR on the R ships. We agree with Mura in that we think the food is much better in the Marina GDR than most people seem to feel. We feel it is comparable to the R ships.

On our Marina cruise we noticed several senior dining room staff from the R ships and I suspect they were transferred over to shape up the less experienced crew on Marina. They did not actually serve but appeared to tell the waiters, etc. what to do.

The one problem with the Marina GDR, in my opinion, is that it is all on the same level making it seem vast. On the R ships, the raised central area cuts the room up, making it much more intimate, even if a little more noisy. The color scheme on the R ships is also, in my opinion, warmer making the GDR feel friendlier. (Now if Oceania would only hire me as a consultant before building any more ships:D)

[wripro]

Regardless of the two levels in the GDR on the R ships the fact remains that is is a far smaller and more intimate room. Naturally, with twice the passenger capacity on Marina/Riviera that is impossible. This is jmo but I don't like large spaces like that.

[Ventura]

New to Oceania, so my question may already have been answered elsewhere. Travelling with another couple who are booked in a Penthouse -- we're Concierge. We plan on dining together. Understand that speciality restaurant reservations can be made earlier for Penthouse dwellers. Can they make it for 4 as soon as it opens up, or do we have to wait until we're eligible to book? Appreciate clarification.

[LHT28]

New to Oceania, so my question may already have been answered elsewhere. Travelling with another couple who are booked in a Penthouse -- we're Concierge. We plan on dining together. Understand that speciality restaurant reservations can be made earlier for Penthouse dwellers. Can they make it for 4 as soon as it opens up, or do we have to wait until we're eligible to book? Appreciate clarification.

I think you have to wait until your time slot opens up then they can add you to their reservation

They will need your booking number

[RetiredFL]

Yes, you must wait until you are eligible and then they can make a reservations with you as their guest. They can only make a reservation for two when they are eligible.

I don't remember if they can make a reservation for two and then increase it or if a new reservation needs to be made and the old one cancelled.

In any event it has usually not been a problem.

[Mura]

I remembered Ed because I had to wait until you two were eligible to change our reservation for Red Ginger last October!

 

I first made the reservation for us, and then added you to the reservation when the time was right.

 

Mura