Long Cruises on Riviera

[Emdee]

We have been once on one of the R ships a didn’t enjoy it.

Now looking at a two month cruise on Riviera. 
A make or break deal for us on a long cruise is the cruiseline’s agreement to provide us with special orders with respect to food.
 

Would  we get this  on Oceania? We receive this on Regent, Silversea etc. 
 

[basor]

15 minutes ago, Emdee said:

We have been once on one of the R ships a didn’t enjoy it.

Now looking at a two month cruise on Riviera. 
A make or break deal for us on a long cruise is the cruiseline’s agreement to provide us with special orders with respect to food.
 

Would  we get this  on Oceania? We receive this on Regent, Silversea etc. 
 

What type of special orders?  On Marina you will have 4 specialty restaurants plus MDR, Terrace, Waves, Baristas and room service.  If you are in a Penthouse of above, you can order from any of the specialty restaurants for dinner for course by course serving in your room...

 

[Emdee]

19 minutes ago, basor said:

What type of special orders?  On Marina you will have 4 specialty restaurants plus MDR, Terrace, Waves, Baristas and room service.  If you are in a Penthouse of above, you can order from any of the specialty restaurants for dinner for course by course serving in your room...

 

On long trips we miss Indian food so we usually request that a couple of times a week. 
The only other time we were on Oceania was in 2008. They even declined minor amendments and insisted on providing a chicken ceasar with the lettuce burned under the heaters saying that is the way Oceania serves  it. I had to fish out the blackened leaves and eat a warm salad! 

[LHT28]

18 minutes ago, Emdee said:

On long trips we miss Indian food so we usually request that a couple of times a week. 
The only other time we were on Oceania was in 2008. They even declined minor amendments and insisted on providing a chicken ceasar with the lettuce burned under the heaters saying that is the way Oceania serves  it. I had to fish out the blackened leaves and eat a warm salad! 

Never heard of  ceasar  done that way on O?

You may or may not get a special meal you can ask

If it is for dietary reasons you can contact the Special services dept ahead of the cruise

They do offer  Vegan/vegetarian choices

JMO

 

 

[mauibabes]

This is a discussion for you and Oceania, not ongoing opinion pieces from past guests. If you are talking about Gluten Free, heart healthy, vegetarian, vegan, plant based, then they will meet your needs. If it is you want the Chef to make something special for you, my understanding is it can be requested by talking with the Chef and arranging a date for the meal. 
We have found the Chef’s on board to be very accommodating but it is not like you have a “Private Chef”. That said, the 4 Specialty Restaurants and La Reserve or La Privee, for a private party, can be gastronomic delights if that is your direction. 
 

Just go ahead an book your trip and have a great time.  Our longest on Riviera has been 46 days so this is JMHO. 

Enjoy, Mauibabes

[Emdee]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Never heard of  ceasar  done that way on O?

You may or may not get a special meal you can ask

If it is for dietary reasons you can contact the Special services dept ahead of the cruise

They do offer  Vegan/vegetarian choices

JMO

 

 

It was on the Nautica. 
I found it very strange. Complaining was like hitting a blank wall.

 

If they are not willing to make special meals occasionally I will cancel…holding a booking now ….but cannot see myself staying on board 70 plus days and being left to the vagaries of their menu. 
Not dietary reasons just personal preference. 

[Emdee]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

This is a discussion for you and Oceania, not ongoing opinion pieces from past guests. If you are talking about Gluten Free, heart healthy, vegetarian, vegan, plant based, then they will meet your needs. If it is you want the Chef to make something special for you, my understanding is it can be requested by talking with the Chef and arranging a date for the meal. 
We have found the Chef’s on board to be very accommodating but it is not like you have a “Private Chef”. That said, the 4 Specialty Restaurants and La Reserve or La Privee, for a private party, can be gastronomic delights if that is your direction. 
 

Just go ahead an book your trip and have a great time.  Our longest on Riviera has been 46 days so this is JMHO. 

Enjoy, Mauibabes

Thanks for your response. 
I didn’t expect a private chef but I hoped that special orders were part of what O provided. It is clear that this is not the case. I may chance a 2 or 3 week cruise on O but I think I will cancel my Grand Voyage booking. 
I wasn’t expecting gastronomic delights….just visited both Guy Savoy and Epicure among other Michelin starred restaurants in Paris last month to fulfil those desires. However 72 nights without some good old home style food would be torture however interesting the Oceania offerings may be.  I can only cite the last three cruises I have been on in the past 9 months, Silversea, Regent and Seabourn where they were willing  to provide us with a food request which we made once or twice per cruise. 

[mauibabes]

I would call Special Services and ask because I have heard of special meals being prepared. I am sure they can accomodate you and a chat with the. Hey on board can often pave the way too.  While we have not done any of the wine pairing dinners, EVERYONE of our friends who have had them continue to rave about them. The Dom Perignon dinner is very special but maybe that was the champagne speaking. 
 

I think the O meals will be every bit as good as Regent and possibly better but then only my wife has sailed on Regent with her mother years ago. I would not know how to compare the other two but I am sure you will hear from others who have been aboard all 3. 
 

Enjoy, whatever decision you make. 

[njhorseman]

6 minutes ago, Emdee said:

Thanks for your response. 
I didn’t expect a private chef but I hoped that special orders were part of what O provided. It is clear that this is not the case. I may chance a 2 or 3 week cruise on O but I think I will cancel my Grand Voyage booking. 
I wasn’t expecting gastronomic delights….just visited both Guy Savoy and Epicure among other Michelin starred restaurants in Paris last month to fulfil those desires. However 72 nights without some good old home style food would be torture however interesting the Oceania offerings may be.  I can only cite the last three cruises I have been on in the past 9 months, Silversea, Regent and Seabourn where they were willing  to provide us with a food request which we made once or twice per cruise. 

Perhaps it would be helpful to precisely define what you're looking for. From your first post I think most would assume you were looking for either accommodation of special dietary needs or some type of exotic preparation.  From your second post, particularly where you say "some good old homestyle food" it sounds like you're talking about beef stew or meatballs and spaghetti.  

To boot you're  now sure that Oceania won't accommodate special requests when you haven't actually provided enough information for anyone to accurately answer your question. 

[Emdee]

23 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Perhaps it would be helpful to precisely define what you're looking for. From your first post I think most would assume you were looking for either accommodation of special dietary needs or some type of exotic preparation.  From your second post, particularly where you say "some good old homestyle food" it sounds like you're talking about beef stew or meatballs and spaghetti.  

To boot you're  now sure that Oceania won't accommodate special requests when you haven't actually provided enough information for anyone to accurately answer your question. 

Actually I mentioned in my second post that I was looking for Indian food ….for me that is not exotic but good old home style food. 
Beef Stew and spagbo are not my home style….for others maybe. 
But  that is ok. So far no one on this board said that occasional special orders of food preferences were fine. 
Given that will just have to fish in another pond. 

[njhorseman]

I overlooked your second post. My apologies.

Edited May 21, 2022 by njhorseman

[LHT28]

It may depend on the Chef onboard as to your special request

There are many Indian cooks  so it may be possible

They do offer Indian dishes  whether like your  home style is another story 

Maybe as you say try them for a shorter cruise 

As I recall when on Crystal you requested a special dish & even they did not  deliver  to your satisfaction

 

 

[Emdee]

2 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

I overlooked your second post. My apologies.

No worries.

Unfortunately our Crystal world cruise got scuppered and this was one of the few itineraries that I liked as we haven’t been to Male or the Phillipines.

Back  to the drawing board! 

 

[basor]

Special requests are easily handled with a few day's notice (if they have the ingredients and recipe).....first you indicated that you were looking to have special requests a couple times a week and then stated that you requested a special meal once or twice on your other cruises....on our most recent Oceania cruise, Indian food was available on the regular menu in several different venues several times a week. 

[Emdee]

7 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

It may depend on rhw Chef onboard as to your special request

They do offer Indian dishes  whether like your  home style is another story 

Maybe as you say try them for a shorter cruise 

As I recall when on Crystal you requested a special dish & even they did not  deliver  to your satisfaction

 

 

You are absolutely right …the chef gave me West Indian food instead of East Indian and tried to palm it off on me. Not Crystal standard at all. But this happened once in all our Crystal cruises and in the grand scheme of things it didn’t prevent me booking the WC on Crystal ….which is one for the history books. 
For now will just cancel my reservation and look elsewhere….who knows Crystal may come back in another avatar and provide us alumni with another choice. 

[Emdee]

8 minutes ago, basor said:

Special requests are easily handled with a few day's notice (if they have the ingredients and recipe).....first you indicated that you were looking to have special requests a couple times a week and then stated that you requested a special meal once or twice on your other cruises....on our most recent Oceania cruise, Indian food was available on the regular menu in several different venues several times a week. 

Thanks for your input and  interesting to note but my worry is that I would have to worry about the vagaries of those who design the menus. 
 

Normally most of our cruises have been under 18 days but we have a 24 day booked on Seabourn next year and had booked a 121 day that came to nought. In cases where the cruise is under 3 weeks asking for a special meal once or twice a cruise would be acceptable. On a longer cruise I would not want my DH to suffer severe withdrawal.

There are other points too about special orders. Some days all I like is a bowl of berries for dinner which I know is totally off menu. If O is a “ stick to the menu “ kind of cruiseline it is certainly not for me. 
We are lucky we have options and lots to think about…

[basor]

Luckily asking for a bowl of berries is easily accomplished on O. because it is an "on the menu" item  .....unless it has been several weeks since they could replenish.  O is definitely not a "stick to the menu"  kind of cruise line.  We have made many changes to the menu (combining items from several different options) but O is most definitely not like having a private chef that will create a special dish just for you several nights a week.  I have sailed on Seabourne and did not find them any more flexible than O for creating a special dish "off menu" any time I wanted (but we also do not require that)...

It sounds like you will be much happier with a smaller cruise line where you can, perhaps, create your own specific menus and recipes.

[FetaCheese]

O is not seabourn, Regent, silversea, or crystal, and they do not pretend to be.  Sounds like you would be happier with the above 3.

[Emdee]

36 minutes ago, basor said:

Luckily asking for a bowl of berries is easily accomplished on O. because it is an "on the menu" item  .....unless it has been several weeks since they could replenish.  O is definitely not a "stick to the menu"  kind of cruise line.  We have made many changes to the menu (combining items from several different options) but O is most definitely not like having a private chef that will create a special dish just for you several nights a week.  I have sailed on Seabourne and did not find them any more flexible than O for creating a special dish "off menu" any time I wanted (but we also do not require that)...

It sounds like you will be much happier with a smaller cruise line where you can, perhaps, create your own specific menus and recipes.

My experience on Seabourn was totally different on my my first two cruises ….on my third they missed my special order but 

apologies were proffered and accepted. I would never be so demanding as to expect an off menu dish a la minute. My usual policy at the very beginning of a cruise is to discuss a couple of requests with dates noted. This gives everyone plenty of time to arrange. In fact on Seabourn in March the F&B manager asked me the very first day in TK whether I would like a special Indian meal. 
 

I am perfectly capable of creating special menus and meals at home but when I cruise I usually like to enjoy what the chef’s interpretation of a dish is. On Regent in December the chef actually called his mother in law to make me something really special. And we were happy to share it with staff from that region. 

[Emdee]

20 minutes ago, FetaCheese said:

O is not seabourn, Regent, silversea, or crystal, and they do not pretend to be.  Sounds like you would be happier with the above 3.

I think you may be right! 
Since  we hadn’t been on it since 2008 and I really liked their itinerary I wanted to get my ducks lined up before putting down my money. 
There are options for all and that is a good thing. 

[ToxM]

We were on the Sirena TA. I just wanted to share a pic of the Indian buffet night they did which was absolutely superb. 

 

I am sure the menu will come out upside down, but worth taking a moment to have a look. 

 

 

[LHT28]

3 hours ago, ToxM said:

I am sure the menu will come out upside down, but worth taking a moment to have a look. 

 

 

How do you do that ??  LOL

 The menu looks good  but  not sure how authentic it is  but I am sure dishes can be tweaked for those that want it closer to their home cooking 

Thank for sharing

 

 

[ToxM]

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

How do you do that ??  LOL

 The menu looks good  but  not sure how authentic it is  but I am sure dishes can be tweaked for those that want it closer to their home cooking 

Thank for sharing

 

 

I think I automatically turn my phone to the right when going to take a pic in landscape mode and for some reason this forum sees that as upside down. Weird, I know. 

 

I was talking to Heiko the headchef about this onboard, he had tasked his Indian chefs to prepare a buffet “as though they were cooking for their sister’s wedding” everything was very very good and although as a Brit I am very well versed in south Asian cooking and like it a lot there was a great deal there that I hadn’t had before and it was very good. The dosa was particularly excellent. 

[LHT28]

48 minutes ago, ToxM said:

I was talking to Heiko the headchef about this onboard, he had tasked his Indian chefs to prepare a buffet “as though they were cooking for their sister’s wedding” everything was very very good and although as a Brit I am very well versed in south Asian cooking and like it a lot there was a great deal there that I hadn’t had before and it was very good. The dosa was particularly excellent. 

We do not have a lot of Indian restaurants where we live  but the menu looked very interesting

Always nice to try other cuisines