Just completed dining room reservations.

[DrJW]

We were able to book all the speciality restaurants on line this evening but I did not see a link for making dinner reservations in the GDR ( or Terrace ]. Are these venues just on a 'walk in basis' or does one need to make dinner reservations there as well. If that indeed it the case..when and how does one book these? When ? On board??

 

Thanks for your input.

[Paulchili]

The MDR & Terrace Café are anytime dining venues. In the MDR you can choose to dine alone or join a table with others (ditto for the Terrace).

One of many great things about Oceania

Enjoy.

[DrJW]

..so one just shows up anytime and can get seated at a table for 2?

[Paulchili]

..so one just shows up anytime and can get seated at a table for 2?

 

Essentially yes - provided that there is a table for 2 available when you show up. They have increased the number of 2 tops, so it might be easier now.

If a table for 2 is a must, come early and you are sure to get one.

Depending on how busy they are, they might seat the 2 of you at a table for 4.

[hypercafe]

The terrace is a seat yourself restaurant, walk in and sit where you want inside or outside. The staff will asst you if needed. The GDR has a maître d at the entrance who will asst you and then you will be taken to you seat.

[pacheco18]

2 tops in the Terrace are often at a premium because most of them are by the windows and people choose them for the view.

[ORV]

If you are on one of the newer ships you should find plenty of availability in the GDR. It's been my experience on our last couple of cruises on Riviera, 17 days & 26 days, that most nights it's a ghost town in there. That is due to the number of specialties and the fact the Terrace is so good.

[Paulchili]

If you are on one of the newer ships you should find plenty of availability in the GDR. It's been my experience on our last couple of cruises on Riviera, 17 days & 26 days, that most nights it's a ghost town in there. That is due to the number of specialties and the fact the Terrace is so good.

 

Agreed.

In fact, I don't believe we ate dinner in the MDR even once on our last TA cruise on the Riviera (for the above reasons) :)

[JPR]

GDR is generally best on the second and next-to-last nights of a cruise. That's when the caviar, foie gras, lobster, and rack of lamb make their appearance...

Edited September 17, 2014 by JPR

[Paulchili]

GDR is generally best on the second and next-to-last nights of a cruise. That's when the caviar, foie gras, lobster, and rack of lamb make their appearance...

 

Really?

I will look for foie gras - it's been a long time since I've seen it on O's menus (it is even gone from Jacques, AFAIK)

[JPR]

Foie gras was offers on Riviera in January of this year. Being from Cqlifornia, where the animal rights crazies banned it despite the new humane treatment of ducks and geese, we search it out.

[NC&KY]

Do sweetbreads ever show up on any menu?

[orchestrapal]

Do sweetbreads ever show up on any menu?

 

Sweetbreads as well as foie gras were on the menu this spring on Regatta.

[NC&KY]

Sweetbreads as well as foie gras were on the menu this spring on Regatta.

Thanks.:cool: I assume in the GDR?

[Toranut97]

If you are on one of the newer ships you should find plenty of availability in the GDR. It's been my experience on our last couple of cruises on Riviera, 17 days & 26 days, that most nights it's a ghost town in there. That is due to the number of specialties and the fact the Terrace is so good.

 

 

Sorry, but this cruiser begs to differ.

 

We are big MDR fans and have lunch and dinner there by default. Always found it well occupied (at dinner at least). (We avoid the Terrace as we find buffets perilous to our health.) Surprised you termed it a ghost town as we were on at least one cruise together on Riviera last year and it did not seem that way at all to us. We do tend to eat fairly early as we like to hear the string quartet after dinner/ rush to evening trivia. So just another view.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Toranut97

[pacheco18]

Every cruise is different. On some the GDR could be packed nightly; others empty. Same for Terrace. On some cruises extra reservations in the specialties are easy to come by; on others not the case.

 

 

As with all things Oceania, you have to look at it cruise by cruise. There are no hard and fast rules about anything other than the rules O makes for us all. Every cruise I have been on has been different in some respects from the one before.

[canuck.qc]

..so one just shows up anytime and can get seated at a table for 2?

Yes, anytime, tables for 2 available.

You can also have a complete breakfast in the MDR including baby lamb chops.

We had breakfast there before excursions, often not busy so service was quick.

We found that we were done faster than having breakfast at the Terrace Cafe.

[TERRIER1]

GDR is generally best on the second and next-to-last nights of a cruise. That's when the caviar, foie gras, lobster, and rack of lamb make their appearance...

 

I have never seen caviar or foie gras in the MDR. I will keep my eyes peeled for it though.

[pacheco18]

I have never seen caviar on any o ship except on an hors d'oeuvre and when my butler brought some to us (as a surprise -- I did not ask) when we were in the Vista Suite entertaining Carolyn Brown from CC.

 

I have two cruises booked on Seabourn and I just learned from a cc thread that I can order caviar every day if I want to. My husband won't touch it so I will just have to eat his portion. That IMO is going to be divine.

[LHT28]

I do not eat caviar but they did have it as an appetizer in the GDR on several of our cruises

tablemates ordered it ..it came in the tin with toasts on the side

[cruiseluvva]

Since Oceania is supposed to he so renown for dining, I am surprised caviare isn't available every evening, as it is in the Grill's on Cunard.

 

Ad a vegetarian I can't say it appeals to me, but my husband likes it and is used to it always being available.

 

I do hope we aren't going to be disappointed with the dining on board.

[orchestrapal]

We don't eat caviar but were offered it by our butler and I believe I saw in on the menu once or twice.

Edited September 18, 2014 by orchestrapal

[StanandJim]

Forgive me for being so crass as to mention money, but considering the pile that your husband is saving by not sailing Grill Class on Cunard, I think that he might just manage to struggle through with only occasional caviar. :rolleyes:

[orchestrapal]

Forgive me for being so crass as to mention money, but considering the pile that your husband is saving by not sailing Grill Class on Cunard, I think that he might just manage to struggle through with only occasional caviar. :rolleyes:

 

Plus all the formalwear he won't have to by or bring!:D

[cruiseluvva]

Forgive me for being so crass as to mention money, but considering the pile that your husband is saving by not sailing Grill Class on Cunard, I think that he might just manage to struggle through with only occasional caviar. :rolleyes:

 

I am sure he will, but given the advertising where food is supposed to be so amazing, I find it surprising. It won't bother m at all.

 

And yes, this was an amazing price so I guess I shouldn't be surprised really ,