specialty restaurants

[trvlfan]

I know that we can book our reservation 75 days out, as we are in a penthouse suite, but want to include people who are in a much lower category (inside stateroom). How exactly do we do that (I have their booking #s and cabin numbers). The "invite" button presumably won't work until that booking # has reached its "release date", so I can't invite them at my actual booking date. I only want to "share" the table with my other friends, but also want it to be at my preferred time. If I book the table for 2 with no sharing, and then "invite" my friends at their date, the larger table may not be available at the preferred time. I am sure some of you must have the exact formula for how to do this!

[turnip eater]

We've booked our reservations...and received confirmation, but two of our bookings have disappeared:eek:

 

We've left it with our TA and Customer Services to sort out. Don't want to leave it until we get on board.

 

Ah well, we won't starve:D

[JimandStan]

I know that we can book our reservation 75 days out, as we are in a penthouse suite, but want to include people who are in a much lower category (inside stateroom). How exactly do we do that (I have their booking #s and cabin numbers). The "invite" button presumably won't work until that booking # has reached its "release date", so I can't invite them at my actual booking date. I only want to "share" the table with my other friends, but also want it to be at my preferred time. If I book the table for 2 with no sharing, and then "invite" my friends at their date, the larger table may not be available at the preferred time. I am sure some of you must have the exact formula for how to do this!

 

For good or for bad (I can see the fairness about both angles), the system is set up so that you will not be able to hold a larger table for you and your friends until they are able to make reservations.

 

There isn't any risk inherent in making a "shared table" reservation at your 75 day deadline, however, as Oceania does not match up the shares quite that early......

 

When your friends deadline arrives, if the reservation system won't allow them to add onto your existing reservation, you'll have to decide if you all want to switch to an entirely new time in order to be together, or if you want to take the chance of getting the reservations merged on the ship (the restaurant captains do have some leeway).

 

[trvlfan]

Thanks Jim & Stan, I guess we will book the shared table, and then hopefully be able to invite them into our reservation at their booking date. If I am unsuccessful, I'll try calling the dining reservations # and see if a "live" person can help hook us up!;)

[Mura]

You certainly can take the shared table option as Jim/Stan suggests, but on our two most recent cruises (one on Regatta, one on Marina) we had no problem reserving a table for the two of us and then adding our friends when they were eligible.

 

But even if you couldn't get a table for four (or six) at that time, they don't "sell" all the tables. So you should be able to get a reservation for all of you on the day you board ... especially if you have a butler who can do the work.

 

Mura

[trvlfan]

So you should be able to get a reservation for all of you on the day you board ... especially if you have a butler who can do the work.

 

Mura

 

I am hoping to take advantage of the butler on the 2nd "go-round" of reservations! I just want to ensure we get the time we want- which may be too popular to leave it for the last minute, especially for reservations made for the early days of the cruise!

[turnip eater]

I am hoping to take advantage of the butler on the 2nd "go-round" of reservations! I just want to ensure we get the time we want- which may be too popular to leave it for the last minute, especially for reservations made for the early days of the cruise!

 

Good luck with your Butler, we are still waiting for ours to get back to us from

October.It must have slipped his mind. Obviously some are better than others, but it's made me a liitle nervous. Others, of course, will tell you that their Butler was wonderful.....

Luck of the draw:)

[orchestrapal]

Good luck with your Butler, we are still waiting for ours to get back to us from

October.It must have slipped his mind. Obviously some are better than others, but it's made me a liitle nervous. Others, of course, will tell you that their Butler was wonderful.....

Luck of the draw:)

 

We have had a butler on all of our O cruises and will have one on the next 5 we have booked. The have all been exceptional in service and personality and there was only one we did not want to take home with us. I hope the level of butlers has not slipped..:confused:

[JimandStan]

We have had a butler on all of our O cruises and will have one on the next 5 we have booked. The have all been exceptional in service and personality and there was only one we did not want to take home with us. I hope the level of butlers has not slipped..:confused:

 

Sadly, I think that the Butlers have just as much reason for concern...... :cool:

Present company excepted, of course

Edited January 15, 2014 by JimandStan

[turnip eater]

Sadly, I think that the Butlers have just as much reason for concern...... :cool:

Present company excepted, of course

 

Does that include me?:D

[orchestrapal]

Sadly, I think that the Butlers have just as much reason for concern...... :cool:

Present company excepted, of course

 

I certainly agree. We had neighbors on deck 7 in an OS who shied the butler to do their daily laundry and constantly ask him to fill their tub...Poor guy!

[turnip eater]

I certainly agree. We had neighbors on deck 7 in an OS who shied the butler to do their daily laundry and constantly ask him to fill their tub...Poor guy!

 

 

That's abuse...shocking!

[caviargal]

I am hoping to take advantage of the butler on the 2nd "go-round" of reservations! I just want to ensure we get the time we want- which may be too popular to leave it for the last minute, especially for reservations made for the early days of the cruise!

 

Our butler was unsuccessful in confirming reservations for us at any of the restaurants, on any night - and we flexible in all aspects of our request.

[JimandStan]

Our butler was unsuccessful in confirming reservations for us at any of the restaurants, on any night - and we flexible in all aspects of our request.

 

Yes, well as has been pointed out in earlier posts, on some cruises the Specialty Restaurants are simply more popular than on others.

 

Shorter, less expensive cruises, for example, seem to carry more demand.

 

One only has to read here on Cruise Critic how highly the "guaranteed" restaurant reservations are prized, to understand that these same people are likely to play hardball when it comes to getting extra reservations on the ship.

Many of them will have Butlers too :o