advice about specialty restaurant

[sho]

I am not sure how the specialty restaurants reservation works.

Can one book to dine in a specialty restaurant every night?

Do they need to be booked in advance on-line? or just turn up in the evening?

Can one request a table for 2 persons or have to share a big table with others?

Are there many tables available for dinner, or get booked up quickly?

[orchestrapal]

I am not sure how the specialty restaurants reservation works.

Can one book to dine in a specialty restaurant every night?

Do they need to be booked in advance on-line? or just turn up in the evening?

Can one request a table for 2 persons or have to share a big table with others?

Are there many tables available for dinner, or get booked up quickly?

 

There are many threads on speciality restaurant reservations if you use the search button at the top of this page.

Yes you must reserve normally. You will get some advance reservations depending on your stateroom category. And yes there tables for two but many nights you may not be able to get them.

[JimandStan]

I am not sure how the specialty restaurants reservation works.

Can one book to dine in a specialty restaurant every night?

Do they need to be booked in advance on-line? or just turn up in the evening?

Can one request a table for 2 persons or have to share a big table with others?

Are there many tables available for dinner, or get booked up quickly?

 

 

Unlike other cruise lines which feature Specialty Restaurants, Oceania does not restrict the number of times that any passenger may dine in each Restaurant, and there is no fee for doing so.

 

Rather, in order to give all Passengers an opportunity to experience each Restaurant, passengers are guaranteed a certain number of reservations as well as the ability to pre-reserve Online; with additional Restaurant capacity being offered on a first come first served basis, during the voyage.

 

How many Reservations a passenger may expect to receive, as well as how early they may access the Online Reservation System is dependent upon the type of Accommodations reserved.

 

Because of the popularity of the Specialty Restaurants, as well as their intimate size, which is a large source of their charm for many, it is almost never an option to "just show up" on the night.

 

Hope that this helped, enjoy your cruise! :)

[LHT28]

I am not sure how the specialty restaurants reservation works.

Can one book to dine in a specialty restaurant every night? Maybe

Do they need to be booked in advance on-line? better to book in advance or just turn up in the evening? some have posted they were successful in getting in just showing up

Can one request a table for 2 persons or have to share a big table with others? when you book online just say NO to sharing

Are there many tables available for dinner, or get booked up quickly? they limit the number of tables so they do fill up quickly

 

Just to add to the other posts

You initially get 1 res per restaurant which it is advisable to book online as soon as your cabin cat allows

It is the luck of the draw if you will get other reservations or not

If you are in a top suite you can probably dine as often as you wish

if you are in a PH + cabin you can also have meals served in your suite from the specialty restaurants

[jeeee]

Just exactly what are the specialty restaurants --- the brochure is vague. On Regent, the Sette Mari and Compass Rose were always open to anyone to walk in and the other two were reserved. On Oceania, for dinner is the Grand Dining room the only one that does not need a reservation?

Edited March 26, 2014 by jeeee

[LHT28]

Just exactly what are the specialty restaurants --- the brochure is vague. On Regent, the Sette Mari and Compass Rose were always open to anyone to walk in and the other two were reserved. On Oceania, for dinner is the Grand Dining room the only one that does not need a reservation?

 

The Terrace you can just walk in

Check the website for more details & sample menus

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/ships/marina/restaurants/default.aspx

Edited March 26, 2014 by LHT28

[Hawaiidan]

Just exactly what are the specialty restaurants --- the brochure is vague. On Regent, the Sette Mari and Compass Rose were always open to anyone to walk in and the other two were reserved. On Oceania, for dinner is the Grand Dining room the only one that does not need a reservation?

 

 

Good Lord..the first 20% of the 160 page catalog is filed with all the restaurants and their menu....so too on the web site : Toscana, Polo ,Red Ginger, Jaques, Waves, Terrace, La Reserve,and Grand Dining room

 

That's 8 5 reservation, 3 walkin

[jeeee]

Good Lord..the first 20% of the 160 page catalog is filed with all the restaurants and their menu....so too on the web site : Toscana, Polo ,Red Ginger, Jaques, Waves, Terrace, La Reserve,and Grand Dining room

 

That's 8 5 reservation, 3 walkin

 

Thank you - you are so kind. I was asking about walk-in vs. reservation for dinner.

[jeeee]

The Terrace you can just walk in

Check the website for more details & sample menus

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/ships/marina/restaurants/default.aspx

 

 

Thank you that is EXACTLY what I needed to know.

[LHT28]

Thank you that is EXACTLY what I needed to know.

 

Reservations required for the specialty restaurants

[JimandStan]

For purposes of discussing the Restaurants, the Oceania fleet must be divided as follows:

 

The R Ships

The O Ships

Regatta

Marina

Insignia

Riviera

Nautica

 

All of these ships feature a Grand Dining Room , as well as The Terrace Restaurant, which is a more casual buffet style Restaurant, neither of these venues ever require reservations, and are generally open for breakfast, luncheon and dinner.

 

Another restaurant which is available on every Oceania ship is the Poolside Grill, known as Waves. Seating is first come first served, for breakfast and luncheon only. Because it stops serving at 4PM, Waves is often a popular stop with passengers returning from Shore Excursions.

 

The Polo Grill, a Steakhouse, and Tuscana, an Italian Trattoria, are the two Specialty Restaurants on the R ships. They are only open for dinner and advance reservations are almost always required, although passengers sailing in Suites with a Butler may Dine in the Suites from the Specialty Menus as often as they desire.

 

Polo and Tuscana are also a feature of the larger O ships, but because of their size they are also able to offer Jacques, a french Bistro, and Red Ginger, which serves Asian fusion food. As on the other ships, only dinner is served in any of the Specialties and Suite Passengers retain the same room service benefits.

 

Additionally, on the O class ships only, one may dine in La Reserve where wine pairing dinners are served on a "for a fee" basis; or in Privée which is essentially a private party room which serves food from either the Polo or Tuscana Menus, and may be hired for the evening for a flat fee.

La Reserve is only open for dinner and only on selected nights of each cruise. Privée is only used in the evenings, for one Party per night

[jeeee]

For purposes of discussing the Restaurants, the Oceania fleet must be divided as follows:

 

 

The R Ships

The O Ships

 

Regatta

Marina

 

Insignia

Riviera

Nautica

 

All of these ships feature a Grand Dining Room , as well as The Terrace Restaurant, which is a more casual buffet style Restaurant, neither of these venues ever require reservations, and are generally open for breakfast, luncheon and dinner.

 

Another restaurant which is available on every Oceania ship is the Poolside Grill, known as Waves. Seating is first come first served, for breakfast and luncheon only. Because it stops serving at 4PM, Waves is often a popular stop with passengers returning from Shore Excursions.

 

The Polo Grill, a Steakhouse, and Tuscana, an Italian Trattoria, are the two Specialty Restaurants on the R ships. They are only open for dinner and advance reservations are almost always required, although passengers sailing in Suites with a Butler may Dine in the Suites from the Specialty Menus as often as they desire.

 

Polo and Tuscana are also a feature of the larger O ships, but because of their size they are also able to offer Jacques, a french Bistro, and Red Ginger, which serves Asian fusion food. As on the other ships, only dinner is served in any of the Specialties and Suite Passengers retain the same room service benefits.

 

Additionally, on the O class ships only, one may dine in La Reserve where wine pairing dinners are served on a "for a fee" basis; or in Privée which is essentially a private party room which serves food from either the Polo or Tuscana Menus, and may be hired for the evening for a flat fee.

La Reserve is only open for dinner and only on selected nights of each cruise. Privée is only used in the evenings, for one Party per night

 

 

Thank you very much. You have been most helpful.

[LHT28]

The Polo Grill, a Steakhouse, and Tuscana, an Italian Trattoria, are the two Specialty Restaurants on the R ships.

 

When did they change the name of TOSCANA ;)

[wiks]

It appears it's alternate name may come from the large veal chop served there whose bone seems as large as the "tusk" of a hairy mastodon!!!

 

Wiks

 

 

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[JimandStan]

[Mura]

It appears it's alternate name may come from the large veal chop served there whose bone seems as large as the "tusk" of a hairy mastodon!!! -- Wiks/QUOTE]

 

 

Then there's the famous place in Boston -- the name is escaping me at the moment -- where the bone-in prime rib (32 oz?) seems to come with the whole leg attached ... ah yes, Durgin Park.

 

It was very good, but I have preferred the ones I've munched on in Polo ... also 32 oz. but without the whole leg ... (no, I've never met anyone who managed to devour the whole thing ...)

 

Mura

[corpkid]

So say you want to dine in another restaurant again, above and beyond your dedicated (pre reserved) times and allocated reservations (we are still sailing basic B3 and B4's on Marina). Who do you talk to and when?

[LHT28]

So say you want to dine in another restaurant again, above and beyond your dedicated (pre reserved) times and allocated reservations (we are still sailing basic B3 and B4's on Marina). Who do you talk to and when?

 

Go to the dinner reservations desk on deck 5 & ask them sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't ;)

[hondorner]

Go to the dinner reservations desk on deck 5 & ask them sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't ;)

The desk on deck 5 is on Marina and Riviera. Unless it has changed since I was on an "R" ship, the maitre 'd's staff on Regatta, Insignia and Nautica sets up a podium near the port entrance to the Terrace restaurant in the morning (usually until Noon).

 

If all the spots have not been filled by Noon, the staff sometimes wanders the Terrace restaurant asking folks at random if they would like to make a reservation. That has happened to us. We asked the fellow if it was a table for two or four; when he replied it was for four, we accepted, then we called another couple we had met and told them our influence, wit, charm and beauty had enabled us to obtain a table for four that evening ;). Of course, we later admitted it was pure luck...

 

Another thing we have witnessed several times, and had happen to us once, has taken place on some of the rare occasions there is a line to the Grand Dining Room. There is usually a balance between the number of guests spread among the various restaurants. When there is a crowd waiting for the GDR, it stands to reason there might be room in the specialties, and staff will come downstairs and offer waiting folks an opportunity to go to a specialty restaurant.

 

Generally, shorter cruises have fewer opportunities for "extra" reservations because there are fewer nights to fit in all the guaranteed reservations.

 

Frankly, we have reached the point where it matters less whether we get to a specialty venue or not -- the menus in the GDR change every night, while the menus in the specialties are largely the same as they were when we started cruising with Oceania in 2006. We very rarely dine at the Terrace; we prefer the service and ease of seating at the GDR for breakfast and dinner, and Waves for lunch.

 

On the larger ships, Privee is always special and I strongly recommend it for special occasions, and La Reserve should at least be booked once each for all 3 menus.

Edited March 27, 2014 by hondorner

[LHT28]

The desk on deck 5 is on Marina and Riviera. Unless it has changed since .

 

And your point is ???

Corpkid said they were on the Marina I replied to him

[hondorner]

And your point is ???

Corpkid said they were on the Marina I replied to him

The OP didn't specify a ship; I felt a casual reader on an "R" ship might head for deck 5 looking for the reservation desk. Nothing personal, I only quoted your correct statement about the "O" ships as a reference guide.

[JimandStan]

And your point is ???

Corpkid said they were on the Marina I replied to him

 

Not everyone who reads these threads is fortunate enough to know what the differences are between the ships, so sometimes a third party chimes in to clear things up.

 

Frustrating perhaps, particularly to those of us who prefer to reply very often and in one sentence, but it is what it is. :cool:

 

Is that not the reason why you often throw in "YMMV" ? :rolleyes:

 

Well, in this case, their mileage DID VARY....:D

[pinotlover]

La Reserve offers wine dinners on selected nights of the cruise. The restaurant utilitizes staff from the ship, but the operation is entirely separate from O and one is billed immediately upon reservation from that third party.

 

It's actually difficult to just book a reservation in La Reserve. The company, from what I can tell, sends invitations to passengers based on their accomodations. They go down the pecking order until the very few slots are filled. Typically no more than 14-15 people dine on any one night, and a mid lenght cruise may only have 2 nights scheduled, rarely 3. So they don't make it very far down the list before they fill up.

 

If enjoying the wine dinner is something you want to do, we always sign up for one, I would suggest contacting O about 180 days out from your cruise and see if they'll help you get in.:)

[Mura]

We are usually in a suite but have never received an "invitation". You CAN book in advance online. There are three tables that hold 8 each. We did have only about 16 on our last cruise, but there was an empty table. (It WAS the most expensive dinner option.)

 

I've also heard that if people ask for additional nights -- you need enough people to make it worth O's while -- they will add an evening.

 

It's really not that hard to book La Reserve if you are interested.

 

We've done two of the dinners so far and are booked for the third in May.

 

Mura

[corpkid]

We have always booked online ahead. Always b4 or b3. No invitation required. Just a credit card. :-)

 

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