What If You Did Not Reserve Specialty Restaurants?

[curtdesilets]

We are sailing today and due to procrastination or forgetfulness, we never booked our specialty restaurants.

What do we do?  Should I meet with a Maitre D as soon as we board?

I read that some people book all of their specialties and then attempt to get extras!

All we want is maybe 1 or 2 nights out of our 7 day cruise.

Does having 3 Oceania's in our past help at all?

Or should it be old school and tip the Maitre D for putting us in?

 

Any advice would be GREAT!  Thanks! 

[Paulchili]

10 minutes ago, curtdesilets said:

We are sailing today and due to procrastination or forgetfulness, we never booked our specialty restaurants.

What do we do?  Should I meet with a Maitre D as soon as we board?

I read that some people book all of their specialties and then attempt to get extras!

All we want is maybe 1 or 2 nights out of our 7 day cruise.

Does having 3 Oceania's in our past help at all?

Or should it be old school and tip the Maitre D for putting us in?

 

Any advice would be GREAT!  Thanks! 

You are guaranteed the number of reservations that your cabin category entitles you to. The only problem may be that you may not get your first choice of dates/times or table size that you prefer but you will get your allotment of reservations - no bribery is needed.

See the reservation desk ASAP after embarkation.

[BenMurphy]

There's usually someone in Terrace Cafe standing by a screen(monitor), they will have all the reservations on there and will help you too find a reservation that suits you

Have a great cruise

Josie

[Classiccruiser777]

2 hours ago, BenMurphy said:

There's usually someone in Terrace Cafe standing by a screen(monitor), they will have all the reservations on there and will help you too find a reservation that suits you

Have a great cruise

Josie

No longer, now there is a dedicated waiter at a desk in the main lobby who can help you with reservations. A waiter is there everyday from 8 until 5 or 6.

[Flatbush Flyer]

39 minutes ago, Classiccruiser777 said:

No longer, now there is a dedicated waiter at a desk in the main lobby who can help you with reservations. A waiter is there everyday from 8 until 5 or 6.

This is true on Riviera and Marina. On the R ships, Terrace Café- Starboard side entrance.

OP: Please DO NOT try to bribe the maitre d's on Oceania. It's a low class move and somewhat insulting.

[Classiccruiser777]

4 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

This is true on Riviera and Marina. On the R ships, Terrace Café- Starboard side entrance.

OP: Please DO NOT try to bribe the maitre d's on Oceania. It's a low class move and somewhat insulting.

On Insignia this July and the reservations waiter was in the lobby.

 

[curtdesilets]

Thanks for all the responses.  We are on Sirena departing today (Dec 7) and will see a reservation host ASAP. Will not bribe anyone as suggested. If the staff is accommodating, we will reward them at the end of the cruise, as is customary.  -OP

[Flatbush Flyer]

Just now, Classiccruiser777 said:

On Insignia this July and the reservations waiter was in the lobby.

 

OOPS. Senior moment! 

I was on Nautica in September and there was a guy sitting at the O Club desk (for restaurant reservations) in the morning.

In any case, there's someone available somewhere on embarkation day since OP will not be the only person who didn't pre-reserve. 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 minutes ago, curtdesilets said:

Thanks for all the responses.  We are on Sirena departing today (Dec 7) and will see a reservation host ASAP. Will not bribe anyone as suggested. If the staff is accommodating, we will reward them at the end of the cruise, as is customary.  -OP

As for the staff: If you start cruising on O regularly, you'll find that crew stay with the line for many many contracts. Along with that, you'll find that O regularly promotes from within. So, one of the best things you can do is mention their exceptional service (by name) on mid/end comment cards (and now on the TV input review system.

 

[curtdesilets]

5 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

As for the staff: If you start cruising on O regularly, you'll find that crew stay with the line for many many contracts. Along with that, you'll find that O regularly promotes from within. So, one of the best things you can do is mention their exceptional service (by name) on mid/end comment cards (and now on the TV input review system.

 

Will do!  Thanks.  Crystal is similar. 

[neilbrunton]

5 hours ago, curtdesilets said:

Thanks for all the responses.  We are on Sirena departing today (Dec 7) and will see a reservation host ASAP. Will not bribe anyone as suggested. If the staff is accommodating, we will reward them at the end of the cruise, as is customary.  -OP

We just got off Sirena in LA. The reservation desk for specialist restaurants is outside main dining room. We booked one in each before our cruise but managed 5 in Red Ginger and 3 we n Tuscan by asking each morning at reservation desk. 8.30 sitting is easier to get

[Paulchili]

2 hours ago, neilbrunton said:

The reservation desk for specialist restaurants is outside main dining room.

That seems new to me. Is it where the Barista is ?

[Classiccruiser777]

24 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

That seems new to me. Is it where the Barista is ?

Deck 5, top of lobby stairs, starboard side.

Edited December 8, 2019 by Classiccruiser777

[Paulchili]

8 minutes ago, Classiccruiser777 said:

Deck 5, top of lobby stairs, starboard side.

Thank you - that's more like it.

[susiesan]

I have an outside cabin category C2for a 7 day cruise on Sirena in January. My reservation says make dining reservations 45 to 7 days before the cruise. How do I know when to make the reservations? Do I need to check my booking every day? Will I get an email about making dining reservations?

[Mura]

Book 45 days before, preferably at the hour reservations open.  The 7 days is the last possible date you can make reservations.  I don't recall ever getting an email about making them, but I'm also pretty sure that the date was on my invoice.  Otherwise, just count back 45 days from the departure date.

 

 

[schmerl]

The date to book our restaurant reservations is on our invoice. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

23 minutes ago, schmerl said:

The date to book our restaurant reservations is on our invoice. 

Not on the Oceania invoice (at least the US ones). Rather, it's listed on your Oceania account management web page for that specific cruise.

Edited December 8, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[schmerl]

Ours is listed toward the bottom of the invoice we received from Oceania in addition to my Oceania account page. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

10 minutes ago, schmerl said:

Ours is listed toward the bottom of the invoice we received from Oceania in addition to my Oceania account page. 

Mea Culpa! It is listed on the O invoice (after the itinerary)

[LHT28]

19 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Not on the Oceania invoice (at least the US ones). Rather, it's listed on your Oceania account management web page for that specific cruise.

It is usually on page 3 of the invoice  just above the itinerary