specialty restaurant reservations

[rln44]

We will be on Marina  with friends in December.  Because we are in a higher category cabin (penthouse v. veranda) we will be able to make more reservations in the specialty restaurants than they will.  Will we be allowed to include our friends at our table?

[GrammieK]

I think this has been covered before....

the quick answer is no, but you may be able to once on board or through your butler. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

29 minutes ago, GrammieK said:

I think this has been covered before....

the quick answer is no, but you may be able to once on board or through your butler. 

Well not exactly. 
On the website reservations section, they can invite the “others” to share a table and if the “others” accept, it will use one of the “others” reservation spots.

[ORV]

Actually Grammy has the right of it. The friends can be invited, but only up to the number of reservations that their category allows. 

 

Don't know why you said not exactly. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

15 minutes ago, ORV said:

Actually Grammy has the right of it. The friends can be invited, but only up to the number of reservations that their category allows. 

 

Don't know why you said not exactly. 

Because Grammy said “no” to doing it before you board. As I remember it: You can make the invite on the web when you reserve (unless I’m dreaming - in which case I apologize). You do need to know the “others” booking and/or cabin number. 

[1985rz1]

7 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Because Grammy said “no” to doing it before you board. As I remember it: You can make the invite on the web when you reserve (unless I’m dreaming - in which case I apologize). You do need to know the “others” booking and/or cabin number. 

Yes that is correct.  If the other folks have a lower cabin category, the lower category determines the window when they can be invited on line.  So, for example, a PH can't invite a Veranda until the Veranda booking period opens.

Edited July 22, 2021 by 1985rz1

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

Yes that is correct.  If the other folks have a lower cabin category, the lower category determines the window when they can be invited on line.  So, for example, a PH can't invite a Veranda until the Veranda booking period opens.

Exactly. 

[ORV]

Maybe I read too much in to the question. I thought they were asking if they could invite their friends on all of their reservations. Perhaps Grammie K read it that way also. 

 

I'm well aware you can invite others online prior to your cruise as we have done this many times. 

Edited July 22, 2021 by ORV

[cruisingxpert]

1 hour ago, 1985rz1 said:

Yes that is correct.  If the other folks have a lower cabin category, the lower category determines the window when they can be invited on line.  So, for example, a PH can't invite a Veranda until the Veranda booking period opens.

Not true unless the rules have changed.  I have been in PH and higher and invited lower cabin category passengers to join me.  I have done this when my window for booking opened.  You do need their booking number and last name.

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, cruisingxpert said:

Not true unless the rules have changed.  I have been in PH and higher and invited lower cabin category passengers to join me.  I have done this when my window for booking opened.  You do need their booking number and last name.

I've the opposite experience for inviting lower categories.  

[cruisingxpert]

6 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

I've the opposite experience for inviting lower categories.  

I,be done it at least four times and will be doing it again 2nd week of August.  I'll let you know if I have any issues.  Is it possible they had already booked their limit when you invited them?

[GrammieK]

The way I read it.....

poster in a PH is entitled to make more reservations than veranda, but wishes to include veranda guests in extra reservations. 
I do realize that PH can invite veranda guests to share, but I think veranda guests can only prebook number of reservations for that category. 

[Paulchili]

3 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

Yes that is correct.  If the other folks have a lower cabin category, the lower category determines the window when they can be invited on line.  So, for example, a PH can't invite a Veranda until the Veranda booking period opens.

Except when the powers that be feel generous and the mysterious exemption rule is granted. 😀

[1985rz1]

2 hours ago, cruisingxpert said:

I,be done it at least four times and will be doing it again 2nd week of August.  I'll let you know if I have any issues.  Is it possible they had already booked their limit when you invited them?

I don't think so.  I certainly like your experience better than ours and hope that option is maintained.  Maybe you have magical powers .  Anyway let me know if the August reservations work.

[cruisingxpert]

12 hours ago, GrammieK said:

The way I read it.....

poster in a PH is entitled to make more reservations than veranda, but wishes to include veranda guests in extra reservations. 
I do realize that PH can invite veranda guests to share, but I think veranda guests can only prebook number of reservations for that category. 

Ph can only make more reservations than lower categories if their cruise is more than 17 days.

 

When a PH invites a lower category to dine with them on one of their allotted reservations, that invite counts as one of the lower category's 4 reservations.

When the lower category time comes to book the specialties, their allotment will be minus the one that the PH booked them in.

[GrammieK]

19 hours ago, rln44 said:

We will be on Marina  with friends in December.  Because we are in a higher category cabin (penthouse v. veranda) we will be able to make more reservations in the specialty restaurants than they will.  Will we be allowed to include our friends at our table?

 

1 hour ago, cruisingxpert said:

Ph can only make more reservations than lower categories if their cruise is more than 17 days.

 

When a PH invites a lower category to dine with them on one of their allotted reservations, that invite counts as one of the lower category's 4 reservations.

When the lower category time comes to book the specialties, their allotment will be minus the one that the PH booked them in.

I was only going by what OP stated...that he/she was able to make more reservations, not sooner. 
 

I don’t know how long their cruise is, just going by what they stayed. 
 

 

[rln44]

We are on the 20 day South America cruise.  We had hoped we would be able to include our friends at our table without using any of their allotted reservations-apparently not.  But  we will ask anyway under the theory that it never hurts to  ask and if you find the right Oceania rep they will occasionally bend the rules.

[cruisingxpert]

1 minute ago, rln44 said:

We are on the 20 day South America cruise.  We had hoped we would be able to include our friends at our table without using any of their allotted reservations-apparently not.  But  we will ask anyway under the theory that it never hurts to  ask and if you find the right Oceania rep they will occasionally bend the rules.

Make friends with the Maitre'd' in the specialty restaurants.  Some butlers are great at getting extra reservations- some not so much.  The other thing in your favor is passenger capacity may be reduced.

[Paulchili]

12 hours ago, rln44 said:

We are on the 20 day South America cruise.  We had hoped we would be able to include our friends at our table without using any of their allotted reservations-apparently not.  But  we will ask anyway under the theory that it never hurts to  ask and if you find the right Oceania rep they will occasionally bend the rules.

Not a likely scenario but theoretically speaking anything is possible.

Depends on many factors but it cannot hurt to ask - good luck.

Just one request - please do not even consider “slipping” money to anyone to accomplish this.

Edited July 24, 2021 by Paulchili

[Jockocruiser]

My booking shows: “Your  Voyage offers you 2 reservations per restaurant in Jacques, Polo Grill, Red Ginger and Toscana.”

 

Is this per stateroom, or per passenger?  
As there are two of us, Is that four nights, or eight?

I presume you can’t substitute if one prefers one restaurant more than another?

[cruisingxpert]

5 minutes ago, Jockocruiser said:

My booking shows: “Your  Voyage offers you 2 reservations per restaurant in Jacques, Polo Grill, Red Ginger and Toscana.”

 

Is this per stateroom, or per passenger?  
As there are two of us, Is that four nights, or eight?

I presume you can’t substitute if one prefers one restaurant more than another?

Eight nights

 

SPECIALTY RESTAURANT?

 

Updated July 9, 2018

Guests are permitted to make the following reservations in our specialty restaurants - which vary by ship, category and length of cruise: 

Marina and Riviera 
Owner’s Suite, Vista Suite and Oceania Suite 
Cruises 7 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant 
Cruises 8-17 days: 2 reservations at each restaurant 
Cruises 18 days or more: 3 reservations at each restaurant 

Penthouse Suite 
Cruises 17 days or less: 1 reservations at each restaurant 
Cruises 18 days or more: 2 reservations at each restaurant 

Concierge Level Veranda, Veranda, Ocean View and Inside Stateroom 
All cruises: 1 reservations at each restaurant 

Insignia, Nautica, Regatta and Sirena 
Concierge Level Veranda and above 
Cruises 7 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant 
Cruises 8-17 days: 2 reservations at each restaurant 
Cruises 18 days or more: 3 reservations at each restaurant 

All other categories 
Cruises 17 days or less: 1 reservations at each restaurant 
Cruises 18 days or more: 2 reservations at each restaurant 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Jockocruiser said:

My booking shows: “Your  Voyage offers you 2 reservations per restaurant in Jacques, Polo Grill, Red Ginger and Toscana.”

 

Is this per stateroom, or per passenger?  
As there are two of us, Is that four nights, or eight?

I presume you can’t substitute if one prefers one restaurant more than another?

Per person

to pre book online  you can choose  only 2 in each restaurant  once onboard  go to the dinner reservations desk on Deck 5   & ask if you can swap the one you do not want for one of the others

maybe yes  maybe no  depends  on what is available

[Jockocruiser]

Hah! LHT28 you kind of high lighted the manner in which it could be interpreted!

Persons, or room.  😀. But no problem, asked, answered.

Thanks for the insight as to possibilities of a swap.  

[LHT28]

28 minutes ago, Jockocruiser said:

Hah! LHT28 you kind of high lighted the manner in which it could be interpreted!

Persons, or room.  😀. But no problem, asked, answered.

Thanks for the insight as to possibilities of a swap.  

it is usually  2 pax per cabin each will get  2 reservations per restaurant  when pre booking  (recommended)

You can always try for more once onboard  depending on availability

Maybe someone  will answer the rules for 3 or 4 pax  per cabin

 

[mexicobob]

On 7/23/2021 at 10:44 PM, Paulchili said:

Not a likely scenario but theoretically speaking anything is possible.

Depends on many factors but it cannot hurt to ask - good luck.

Just one request - please do not even consider “slipping” money to anyone to accomplish this.

What would be wrong with "slipping" money to someone to accomplish anything?