Booking La Reserve,when?

[janecambridge]

I want to book the two of us for La Reserve,la cuisine  Bourgeoise or similar.I have it in my ‘trolley’ but unable to book it.Is it bookable  the same time as speciality restaurants?

[Flatbush Flyer]

17 minutes ago, janecambridge said:

I want to book the two of us for La Reserve,la cuisine  Bourgeoise or similar.I have it in my ‘trolley’ but unable to book it.Is it bookable  the same time as speciality restaurants?

  You can book it when and if the menus become available, which has nothing to do with the date for your booking of specialty restaurants. Not knowing when  you are cruising makes it difficult to know if you may be way too soon. In any case, once the menus are available, you can use your  oceania provided shipboard credit to pay for the reservations before you cruise. Do you know that many of the la reserve spots sell out quickly. 

Edited May 9, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[janecambridge]

We are sailing November 4th.Not sure how I will know when the menus are available.I had an idea they sell quickly and that is why I want to get moving on this.Thank you.

[Shawnino]

There have been several online glitches in trying to book La Reserve.

If at all possible, it's surely best to call in.

[Kate-AHF]

I agree - call it in so you can be sure to get what you want, if the online purchase system is screwy.  I have been able to book La Reserve for December 2019, so surely you should be able to book for November.

[KatieBelle]

Hello janecambridge.  Our cruise next week has now closed online bookings for LaReserve.  One menu closed several months ago, 3 more were added and I think those were still available last week.  

 

Last year on our TransAtlantic there was only one menu offered online.  However, once on board there were several menus available and we were able to book our choice and move previous specialty reservations.  

 

So all is not lost.  You should be able to book LaReserve either through your TA or by calling Oceania. Good luck and enjoy.  One of my favorite experiences on a ship.

-Katie

[janecambridge]

Thanks.I will phone. As I said it’s in my trolley but now I can on,y pay via credit card and not onboard credit.

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 hours ago, janecambridge said:

Thanks.I will phone. As I said it’s in my trolley but now I can on,y pay via credit card and not onboard credit.

Though this may not be your problem, note that only Oceania SBC (either O Life or Oceania Club loyalty SBC can be used to prepay prior to cruising). SBC from a TA will not show up in your account.

Also, "charges" for purchases (e.g., excursions) in your online account may only disappear (as available SBC is applied) when you get to the "cart" and start checking out. 

In any case, call O and ask to be walked through the process (if for no other reason than to learn how and/or alert them to a possible glitch).

[Banti]

We ate at La Reserve on our cruise last November, and again on our cruise in March. In both cases we booked after we were on board, using ship board credit. We had no problem getting a reservation onboard on either cruise. We tried both menus, La Bourgeoise the first time, and the Odyssey menu the second time. Both were spectacular meals and wine pairings, and were most enjoyable experiences. They are a great way to use up shipboard credit.

[Mura]

I think you were very lucky!  I'm not saying (obviously) that it's "impossible" to book on board.  It really can depend on what other passengers want to do on your particular itinerary -- just as, on some cruises it's easy to get "extra" specialty restaurant reservations and on others it can be nigh impossible.

 

We've been to La Reserve on several cruises and always booked in advance, paying by credit card.  If you want to use SBC (or OBC) then it can be worth the risk to wait.  I prefer to be sure that I will have the reservation!  On the occasion when I had to cancel (because I had to cancel the cruise) the credit on my card came through quickly.

 

Others have mentioned that even when the scheduled dinners are fully booked, if you can get others to join you it's possible to have an extra dinner scheduled.  No guarantees!  But it has happened.

Mura

[WESTEAST]

For our upcoming cruise, I was able to view online the Sample Menus of Odyssey and La Cuisine Bourgeoise with their dates and costs.  The sample menus show a selection of mains.  Having choices is important to us as I don't eat red meat and my husband is allergic to cheese.  Has anyone had experience in viewing the menu prior to the reservation date while onboard so that we can ensure our specific dietary needs are met and if not, cancel our reservation. We have never had any difficulty at any of the other dining venues as there are so many delicious choices.  We have never tried La Reserve and would like to. Thank you.

[Flatbush Flyer]

38 minutes ago, Mura said:

If you want to use SBC (or OBC) then it can be worth the risk to wait.  I prefer to be sure that I will have the reservation! 

You can now use any SBC provided by Oceania (loyalty, O Life) to pre-book LaReserve, excursions, etc. on line or over the phone before you Board the ship.

[Mura]

43 minutes ago, WESTEAST said:

For our upcoming cruise, I was able to view online the Sample Menus of Odyssey and La Cuisine Bourgeoise with their dates and costs.  The sample menus show a selection of mains.  Having choices is important to us as I don't eat red meat and my husband is allergic to cheese.  Has anyone had experience in viewing the menu prior to the reservation date while onboard so that we can ensure our specific dietary needs are met and if not, cancel our reservation. We have never had any difficulty at any of the other dining venues as there are so many delicious choices.  We have never tried La Reserve and would like to. Thank you.

Despite a number of dinners at La Reserve I'm not sure how to answer.

 

Most of our menus  (everything except the Bourgeoise) have had at least one meat dish (usually beef as the piece de resistance) and all have cheese some place.  But it does seem to me that I have found menus at the website.  I maybe wrong.  If I am, it's because others have posted them here.

 

Skipping one course because of meat or cheese wouldn't be a disaster, but if the menu has much of those items than I think you would be right to cancel.

 

Somewhere I have past menus ... if I locate them in a timely fashion, I'll send them along.

 

Mura

[Mura]

36 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

You can now use any SBC provided by Oceania (loyalty, O Life) to pre-book LaReserve, excursions, etc. on line or over the phone before you Board the ship.

It's correct that when we have booked these reservations it was before you could pre-book with SBC.  Our last cruise was on Riviera in May 2018.

 

[babysteps]

56 minutes ago, WESTEAST said:

 Has anyone had experience in viewing the menu prior to the reservation date while onboard so that we can ensure our specific dietary needs are met and if not, cancel our reservation.

The menus are displayed in La Reserve, easy to review.  Also I would suggest that you check with the dining reservation desk, it is possible that the menu could be (slightly) adjusted to meet your dietary restrictions - that is, don't just assume that the printed menu can't be changed until after consulting at dining reservations.  I also suggest checking in with the dining reservations desk on day one to make sure that your dining restrictions have been logged in (or at least, I always feel better when I do this lol).

[LHT28]

Just now, WESTEAST said:

For our upcoming cruise, I was able to view online the Sample Menus of Odyssey and La Cuisine Bourgeoise with their dates and costs.  The sample menus show a selection of mains.  Having choices is important to us as I don't eat red meat and my husband is allergic to cheese.

Just cheese or all dairy ?

Have it noted in your file  about the dairy allergy & they will look after  him for all meals .

 

La Reserve

You can have a word with the Chef  a few days ahead of time .. if there is meat on menu  they will probably adapt the course for you

[janecambridge]

Thank you all.

I phoned Oceania and despite the young lady being a bit confused,probably a newbie, we have booked La Reserve.There were 2 available dates for the odyssey/ bourgeois menu and one date for the Champagne menu on a week cruise.I have been able to pay with onboard credit for the date I wanted.

She had no idea about any discount if we booked prestige beverage package,went away to ask and said yes, there is a discount.

looking forward to it and glad of all the tips on here.

Happy sailing everyone.

[WESTEAST]

16 hours ago, babysteps said:

The menus are displayed in La Reserve, easy to review.  Also I would suggest that you check with the dining reservation desk, it is possible that the menu could be (slightly) adjusted to meet your dietary restrictions - that is, don't just assume that the printed menu can't be changed until after consulting at dining reservations.  I also suggest checking in with the dining reservations desk on day one to make sure that your dining restrictions have been logged in (or at least, I always feel better when I do this lol).

Thank you for these suggestions everyone.

 

Edited May 13, 2019 by WESTEAST

[cruzzzinma]

On 5/12/2019 at 6:18 PM, WESTEAST said:

Has anyone had experience in viewing the menu prior to the reservation date while onboard so that we can ensure our specific dietary needs are met and if not, cancel our reservation. We have never had any difficulty at any of the other dining venues as there are so many delicious choices.  We have never tried La Reserve and would like to. Thank you.

 

We were on Riviera in Nov 2018. We viewed the menu and discussed allergies with the concierge. They were noted and the chef provided an incredible meal. When we arrived, the maitre’d. Edifies our allergies with each of us. For the most part, our food looked exactly like everyone else’s and was delicious.

 

This was reenforced on a Celebrity cruise a few months later when, for expediency, the chef COMBINED our dairy and shellfish allergies, and served us both the same thing. Not happy and not worth the money we paid for either of us. Fast forward a couple of months where Viking substituted tofu for shrimp in a fixed menu venue.

[ORV]

10 minutes ago, cruzzzinma said:

 

We were on Riviera in Nov 2018. We viewed the menu and discussed allergies with the concierge. They were noted and the chef provided an incredible meal. When we arrived, the maitre’d. Edifies our allergies with each of us. For the most part, our food looked exactly like everyone else’s and was delicious.

 

This was reenforced on a Celebrity cruise a few months later when, for expediency, the chef COMBINED our dairy and shellfish allergies, and served us both the same thing. Not happy and not worth the money we paid for either of us. Fast forward a couple of months where Viking substituted tofu for shrimp in a fixed menu venue.

There’s a Maitre d in La Reserve?