The Restaurant Dining Reservations

[Heidi13]

15 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

I hope your optimism pans out if that's what you want. But ----- spitting in a tube every morning, wearing a mask and being unable to enjoy ports of call on your own ----- is that what you want?

 

Spitting in a tube is way more preferable than having a cotton swab reemed 6" up the nose. We have been wearing masks for almost a year now, so don't see how that is an issue, as it certainly isn't a change from life at home.

 

On the Sun, while temperature checks for pax weren't mandatory, all 8 of us voluntarily joined the queue of Officers & Crew in the Theatre to have our temperature checked. Having a tube delivered to the cabin and picked up again, is considerably less of an inconvenience.

 

Ability to go ashore and the infection rates and associated risks of the countries visited are definitely a potential issue. However, having already enjoyed 40 + days on a Viking ship without going ashore, lack of shore leave isn't a show stopper.

 

Prior to our '23 cruise, we will assess the risks and make an informed decision, with providing daily saliva samples and wearing masks being non-issues, for us, when considering the big picture. 

 

 

[Jim Avery]

The biggest stop for us will be the ability to go ashore.  Agreed, fewer ports could be overcome with other things but having to travel ashore in a safety bubble is not really traveling.  Sort of like going to the Venetian and taking a gondola ride.

[MAH9933]

On 1/29/2021 at 1:46 PM, Mitina said:

Not on the website but in My Viking Journey under Onboard Experience/Dining.  We've already booked The Restaurant reservations for an upcoming April trip.  Manfredi's and Chef's Table are not yet available for us on this trip,

 

Likely due to Covid, there would be a need to separate (and limit) restaurant dinners during peak times. The hours may be expanded as well.

What cruise are you booked on and what level is your cabin?

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, MAH9933 said:

On 1/29/2021 at 1:46 PM, Mitina said:

Not on the website but in My Viking Journey under Onboard Experience/Dining.  We've already booked The Restaurant reservations for an upcoming April trip.  Manfredi's and Chef's Table are not yet available for us on this trip,

 

Likely due to Covid, there would be a need to separate (and limit) restaurant dinners during peak times. The hours may be expanded as well.

 

What cruise are you booked on and what level is your cabin?

 

@MAH9933

 

Sorry to jump in. The cruise that Mitinia, who is no longer following this thread and will not see your question,  was talking about was to have taken place in April, 2021 but it was cancelled.

[Mitina]

52 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

@MAH9933

 

The cruise that Mitinia, who is no longer following this thread and will not see your question,  was talking about was to have taken place in April, 2021 but it was cancelled.

I'm still here and did see the question.  That cruise as well as a number of our others were cancelled.  Since then, we sailed the Iceland and Malta Welcome Back cruises.  We made restaurant reservations in advance for those, but once on board they allowed dining at any time.  Specialty dining still required an advance reservation however.

[Peregrina651]

46 minutes ago, Mitina said:

I'm still here and did see the question.

 

Sorry. Your name wasn't on the list of followers.

 

 

[TinaLee]

The Restaurant reservations are open for our sailing in February (specialty opens up next month), but it will only let us book a table for 2. If possible, we'd enjoy sharing a table. If we don't make reservations I am assuming we can still just walk up and ask to be seated? Do they ask if you'd like to share a table? 

[Mich3554]

We have eaten in The Restaurant several times since boarding and have yet to make a reservation there.  We have made reservations for Manfredi’s and Chef’s Table, but while we have been on board.  They don’t seem to be difficult to get.

[OnTheJourney]

On 11/15/2021 at 4:21 PM, Mich3554 said:

We have eaten in The Restaurant several times since boarding and have yet to make a reservation there

 I noticed that there is still an option to reserve a day and time for the main dining room for upcoming sailings. Based on what you're saying, sounds like it's not really necessary to reserve times?  

Edited March 1, 2022 by AnyWayIsGood

[Mich3554]

1 hour ago, AnyWayIsGood said:

 I noticed that there is still an option to reserve a day and time for the main dining room for upcoming sailings. Based on what you're saying, sounds like it's not really necessary to reserve times?  

On our last few sailings, both pre and post covid, we decided where we wanted to eat after seeing the menu.  Occasionally, I would make a reservation at the restaurant…..but more often not.  Manfredi’s or Chef’s Table get a reservation that day….or maybe the day before.  
I never, ever made any dining reservations before getting on my flight to the cruise.  I just never found them necessary.

[Peregrina651]

 

I have a very different take on reservations, especially for the specialty restaurants.

 

Right now, the ships are not sailing at full capacity, and many times not anywhere near it. Our two 2021 cruises each had less than 400 people on board. This makes it much, much easier to get last minute reservations in the specialty restaurants, even walk up seating.

 

I think that as more people return to cruising and we start seeing 600, 700, 900 people on board that it will become harder to get reservations in the specialty restaurants -- just as it could be prior to the pandemic -- and that we might even see the MDR using the reservation system that was set up at the start of the pandemic. That's why I have a hard time telling people not to worry about making reservations.  The situation is going to change.

 

 

 

 

[OnTheJourney]

10 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

The situation is going to change.

For sure!  One of my Mom's favorite sayings is "nothing stays the same"!