Specialty restaurant reservations

[Moby Jones]

Hello all

 

Another question...

I know that O include specialty dining as part of your cruise fare. However I've also read that non suite guests may not get to make as many reservations as they like due to suite guests being given priority. 

My hypothetical question is, as a suite guest will you be able to get a reservation at specialty restaurants ever night if you so wished? 

I also believe that you can make only one reservation before boarding. Additional reservations have to be made onboard. Is this correct?

Thanks in advance. 

[Classiccruiser777]

Additional reservations can be made once on board on a space available basis. 

[Paulchili]

Depending on one's cabin category and length of the cruise, everyone is guaranteed a certain number of reservations in each specialty restaurant.

Beyond that you need to inquire about additional reservations onboard - for the same day only. There is a place on the ship where you try to get extra reservations for that day. On some shorter cruises it is very difficult to get extra reservations as everyone needs to be accommodated for their minimum; on longer cruises it may be easier.

If you are in a PH or higher, your butler can try to get you extra reservations.

Also, in PH and higher you can dine en-suite from any specialty restaurant as often as you wish (in addition to your allotted ones in the restaurant itself).The food is good everywhere, including the Terrace Cafe - no need to dine only in the specialties.

[pinotlover]

You asked a one size fits all question for which there is no one size fits all answer.

 

1. If one is in a short cruise, say 7 days, since everyone is guaranteed each of the Specialties, getting additional nights can be difficult . If the ship is full, this can also be the case on 10 day cruises.

 

2.  There is a significant difference between what the very top “ suites “ can get as opposed to PHers. You didn’t stipulate.

 

3. Reservations, above your cabin allotment, can only be made once aboard, one the day of the desired reservation.

 

 

[Moby Jones]

10 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Depending on one's cabin category and length of the cruise, everyone is guaranteed a certain number of reservations in each specialty restaurant.

Beyond that you need to inquire about additional reservations onboard - for the same day only. There is a place on the ship where you try to get extra reservations for that day. On some shorter cruises it is very difficult to get extra reservations as everyone needs to be accommodated for their minimum; on longer cruises it may be easier.

If you are in a PH or higher, your butler can try to get you extra reservations.

Also, in PH and higher you can dine en-suite from any specialty restaurant as often as you wish (in addition to your allotted ones in the restaurant itself).The food is good everywhere, including the Terrace Cafe - no need to dine only in the specialties.

 

Thanks for the reply. It's a 10 day cruise in a PH. Do you know how many days we're like;y to be allocated specialty dining? We do plan on trying the other venues I'm simply curious hence the questions. 

I've seen the in room dining option which looks good. In a PH would it be possible to have four diners, the additional two would also be in a PH. But is there sufficient space, I'm guessing not? 

[Paulchili]

Which ship are you on?

On Riviera/Marina there are 4 specialties and you'll get one reservation in each. On smaller ships they have only 2 specialties so you get 2 reservations in each.

On larger ships there is sufficient room for en-suite dining; on smaller ships is a bit tighter but possible.

Book your allotted specialties as soon precruise as you are allowed (75 days pre cruise?) to get your preferred days and times for specialties. Bookings open at midnight Eastern (Miami) time of the date listed on your booking (cruise must be paid in full to make reservations)..

Edited June 7, 2020 by Paulchili

[Flatbush Flyer]

12 minutes ago, Moby Jones said:

 

Thanks for the reply. It's a 10 day cruise in a PH. Do you know how many days we're like;y to be allocated specialty dining? We do plan on trying the other venues I'm simply curious hence the questions. 

I've seen the in room dining option which looks good. In a PH would it be possible to have four diners, the additional two would also be in a PH. But is there sufficient space, I'm guessing not? 

For your prereservations amount look at the chart under "dining" in "manage my booking" in your online account.

Once onboard, daily added reservations are possible - space available.

All O dining is great. Specialties are focused food and ambiance. On longer cruises of 3+ weeks, our primary venue is the Terrace Café.

[LHT28]

lots of good info on O website

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005477653-How-many-dining-reservations-am-I-allowed-in-each-specialty-restaurant-

 

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005477713-When-can-I-make-reservations-in-the-specialty-restaurant-

 

You can dine  in your cabin  course by course also in PH & above  cabins

 

for the NEW Oceania  things could change

[Moby Jones]

Thanks for the replies. It all makes sense now. I'll make reservations asap. 

[Ladys Mom]

Historically, if one wanted to dine in a specialty restaurant more than the allotted times, then agreeing to share a table with another couple or more, could increase the odds that you would be successful.  Not eating in the main dining room can result in your missing some of the best dinners on the ship.

As far as more than one couple eating in a PH, our experience has been that the table that is provided is large enough for two but not for four.  What the future holds, I don't know.

[ORV]

44 minutes ago, Ladys Mom said:

As far as more than one couple eating in a PH, our experience has been that the table that is provided is large enough for two but not for four.  

THIS, 

 

For more than 2 diners in a room you need to be in an Oceania Suite or above. 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Ladys Mom said:

As far as more than one couple eating in a PH, our experience has been that the table that is provided is large enough for two but not for four.  What the future holds, I don't know.

I guess technically   dining insuite  is suppose to be for the occupants of that cabin  not for inviting guests   though I have seen people mention  they had friends join them for  dinners in the suites

[Rob the Cruiser]

From our experience, seating in the specialty restaurants on the night of embarkation had been available. Table for two, no problem.

Edited June 7, 2020 by Rob the Cruiser

[Mura]

I once asked about guests in the cabin (for insuite dining from specialties) and I'm not sure that I'm remembering correctly.  But it seemed to me that  I was told there would be a charge for the extra two guests.  Maybe NOT if they were also in a PH or above.  I really don't know.

 

As for the seating, while the table in above the PH level SHOULD be able to accommodate 4 people, from my perspective it did not.  Jim/Stan objected when I said this!  I do think I've heard that the butler can bring in a "table top" that would allow more comfortable seating for 4, but we never tried that.

 

Of course, as others have said -- who knows what will be the options once cruising starts up again.  If people still have to stay 6 feet apart ... in suite dining will only work for 2 people.

 

Mura

 

 

 

[Moby Jones]

14 hours ago, Mura said:

I once asked about guests in the cabin (for insuite dining from specialties) and I'm not sure that I'm remembering correctly.  But it seemed to me that  I was told there would be a charge for the extra two guests.  Maybe NOT if they were also in a PH or above.  I really don't know.

 

As for the seating, while the table in above the PH level SHOULD be able to accommodate 4 people, from my perspective it did not.  Jim/Stan objected when I said this!  I do think I've heard that the butler can bring in a "table top" that would allow more comfortable seating for 4, but we never tried that.

 

Of course, as others have said -- who knows what will be the options once cruising starts up again.  If people still have to stay 6 feet apart ... in suite dining will only work for 2 people.

 

Mura

 

 

 

 

I'd certainly expect a charge if your guests were not in suites and this is protocol on other lines. I'd be surprised and disappointed if suite guests were charged for though. Imagine if its your friends nextdoor in a suite who could also order in suite dining from the same restaurant to be served by the same butler... 🙂 

I've been watching videos on youtube and can see that a PH table is too small as is though. 

[Paulchili]

34 minutes ago, Moby Jones said:

I've been watching videos on youtube and can see that a PH table is too small as is though. 

Which ship are you sailing on?

[Nashna]

We are in the process of booking our first Oceania cruise in Verandah class.  Based on what I am reading, it would appear that we would have 2 reservations in each specialty restaurant as we are on an 18-day cruise.  We are newbies to O and are very excited to try a new cruise line.   

[LHT28]

4 minutes ago, Nashna said:

We are in the process of booking our first Oceania cruise in Verandah class.  Based on what I am reading, it would appear that we would have 2 reservations in each specialty restaurant as we are on an 18-day cruise.  We are newbies to O and are very excited to try a new cruise line.   

If you are on an R class ship   that is correct  for the B cat cabins

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005477653-How-many-dining-reservations-am-I-allowed-in-each-specialty-restaurant-

 

Enjoy

[Nashna]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

If you are on an R class ship   that is correct  for the B cat cabins

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005477653-How-many-dining-reservations-am-I-allowed-in-each-specialty-restaurant-

 

Enjoy

Thank you.  We have been on Regent and know that this will be an entirely different experience.  Actually, we have sailed on everything from Carnival to Seabourn, and enjoyed all the sailings in different ways.  It's fun to learn all the ins and out of a new cruise line.  After Covid-19, I'm afraid everyone is going to experience brand new cruising norms.  In fact, even the number of times one can visit the specialty restaurants might change if social distancing is still in practice in April.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Nashna said:

  In fact, even the number of times one can visit the specialty restaurants might change if social distancing is still in practice in April.

This is true  but if they  lower the number of pax on the sailing  it may still be the same

They do not fill the Specialties anyway 

 The  number of Reservations list are those you can PRE book  you may or may not be able  to get more seatings  depending on  how many other pax  want  extra reservations

 

[Andee]

One time, when we decided last minute that we wanted to eat in a specialty, we spoke to the host when it opened, waited 15 minutes and were seated when people without reservations didn't show up.

[pinotlover]

2 hours ago, Andee said:

One time, when we decided last minute that we wanted to eat in a specialty, we spoke to the host when it opened, waited 15 minutes and were seated when people without reservations didn't show up.

This is entirely dependent upon the Maitre De and the Restaurant Management. On some cruises they stick by a strict protocol and have a wait list. They do not want a line of people sitting outside the doors waiting for no shows.

 

Most of my recent cruises over the past couple of years, the Maitre De would not even talk to you without a reservation, only refer you to the reservations desk.

 

Handled differently by ship and crew.

This entire issue resulted in crew being fired servers years ago. Posters were coming here on CC and bragging about palming the Maitre de/ hostess and getting into a Specialty every night! Something really smelly hit the fan! I am shocked that senior ship managers would tolerate having people, without reservations,  sitting outside restaurants for any length of time!

[Andee]

It never dawned on me to bribe the maitre d'.

There was no one else waiting for a cancellation or no show. Seems like a good way to make a passenger happy.

[clo]

11 minutes ago, Andee said:

maitre d'

Thanks for spelling it correctly and not capitalizing. Another one of those fingernails on a blackboard for me.

[pinotlover]

Hopefully sometime today or tomorrow, we start to get feedback on any noticeable changes with the reservation system. The first currently scheduled cruises are now October 4. I believe today marks 75 days for those in PH, so they can start making their Specialty Restaurant reservations today, or actually last night.

 

Oceania may well choose to cancel all those October cruises by month end and opt to just utilize the old system. Or, will we get a peek at our future. On non EU cruises, will sharing be allowed? Will reservations be required for the GDR? What time slots are currently shown? 
 

Waiting anxiously to learn what those cruisers experienced during the reservation process. If nothing new, will a new system mark the Oceania expectation of the cruise(s) actually going?

 

Will reduced capacity eliminate any need to alter the current system? 

Edited July 22, 2020 by pinotlover