Dining: give me the low-down

[BobCatter]

Y'all were so helpful with the onboard costs and excursions, now I need the primer for dining! 
 

Reservations: needed? not needed? worth it for the 3 (I think) 'fancy' places?
Casual dining: any problem getting seated when you wanted to?
Room service: as good as a table when you aren't feeling social?
 

Tips for a newbie on Viking Ocean?

 

Thanks again!

[FetaCheese]

Must try Manfredi's.  The bisteca rib eye is a standout!

[Ontario/AZ]

Reservations can be made while on the ship.  If you want reservations with others in your group, reserve earlier.  We have done many Viking cruises and no problem being seated.  Sometimes there would be a line of 10-20 folks but no problems if you want to sit by yourselves.  I have been told room service is great.  We love the dining, the food and even the wine.  I love that I can have sparkling water or still.  I love that they get to know you so well.  They know to always fill up my glass of wine (ha,ha).  Great service!!  Enjoy!

[duquephart]

22 minutes ago, FetaCheese said:

Must try Manfredi's.  The bisteca rib eye is a standout!

 

Tasty, but way too thin to cook properly, so it won't be.

[Twitchly]

We liked the Chef’s Table best of the three main restaurants, but it depended on the evening’s menu, which changes. Check ahead when onboard and swap nights if necessary to get a menu that appeals to you (it’s posted in advance). 
 

We loved the World Buffet. Casual and surprisingly good. 
 

We also enjoyed having breakfast in our room most mornings via room service, which was extremely prompt. We usually had early excursions, so it was great to be able to have breakfast delivered beforehand.

[TayanaLorna]

Reservations required at the 2 specialty restaurants - Manfredi's and Chefs Table.  The Restaurant is the other sit down be served restaurant.  We think all are excellent.  Dress code applies for dinner.  No jeans or shorts and men must wear collared shirts.  Dress shirt or polo okay.

 

World Cafe has much the same menu as The Restaurant but is self serve.  No problem finding a table.  We always found it best to find a table, have drinks served so it is apparent table is taken and then go to the buffet.  Easier then walking around with your plate looking for table.  Go to both sides of the buffet as there are different stations. For example gelato bar, seafood, pizza and sushi stations are only on one side.

 

Your room TV, the Viking Voyager App and touch screens around the ship will give you the menus for the day in the Restaurant and World Cafe.

 

Check the Viking Daily for any special dinner buffets that might be served in the Pool Grill.

 

Do try Mamsen's for breakfast and lunch.  Check out the Pool Grill for lunch.  Do try the cookies and sweets in the Living Room bar especially if you like fresh ground made to order coffees.  AND be sure to go to Tea in the Wintergarden even if you are not a regular tea drinker.

[sundaycreek]

1 hour ago, FetaCheese said:

Must try Manfredi's.  The bisteca rib eye is a standout!

Well to each their own.  I have had it twice, DH once and neither one of us thought it was very good at all.

[Paul73]

3 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Tasty, but way too thin to cook properly, so it won't be.

We all have individual tastes and preferences.  We've had bisteca at Manfredi's numerous times and have never been disappointed.  Not quite Florence, but an impressively good piece of meat.

[Peregrina651]

BobCatter, I'm going to be the curmudgeon here. I have found that each and every sailing has its own vibe making it hard for me to believe blanket statements about any of the dining rooms or the ease of getting specialty reservations. It differs from sailing to sailing and there is no way of predicting what it will be.

 

I have been on cruises where the line to be seated in the MDR is past the elevators before the doors open and I have been on cruises where  the crowd seemed to peak closer to closing time. Finding a seat in the World Cafe depends on timing and on how many people prefer the sit down service for dinner;  sometimes it is easy and other times the cafe is jam-packed.  Every cruise is different.

 

The shorter the cruise, the harder it is to get a seat in the specialty restaurants -- particularly on an 8 day cruise and even harder if the 8 days are a segment of a longer itinerary.  The advanced reservation scheme was designed when Viking was not planning to offer itineraries of less than 2 weeks; a 7 night cruise has half the capacity to cover the same number of advanced reservations  promised in the advertising.  On the other end of the spectrum, World Cruises don't have this capacity problem.

 

Manfredi's reservations are harder to get than Chef's Table but both will accommodate walk-ins if they can. It never hurts to stop by and ask. (We have done it a number of times. Sometimes it has been a solid, "Not tonight" and other times we have been seated.)

 

As for room service, two thoughts. First, only if you are okay either eating off the coffee table or on the veranda. Second, Viking has plenty of tables for 2 in its dining venues.

 

 

[longterm]

5 hours ago, FetaCheese said:

Must try Manfredi's.  The bisteca rib eye is a standout!

I agree; try the mushroom soup, it’s delicious. 

[longterm]

We aren’t fans of Chef’s Table, but love the other two. 
 

Reservations at Manfredi‘s are hard to get, so you should try to get them ahead of time if you can.

 

Reservations at The Restaurant are easy to get; you can almost always just walk up and get a table. We had some great meals there every time.

 

 NOTE: We have yet to be on an ocean cruise that was 100% full; our last two-week cruise only had about 500 passengers. So, I would guess that if the ship is completely full, perhaps the Restaurant might be hard to get into, but we never had any trouble at all getting in there.

Edited June 13, 2022 by longterm

[keokukjoe]

12 minutes ago, longterm said:

We aren’t fans of Chef’s Table, but love the other two. 
 

Reservations at Manfredi‘s are hard to get, so you should try to get them ahead of time if you can.

 

Reservations at The Restaurant are easy to get; you can almost always just walk up and get a table. We had some great meals there every time.

 

 NOTE: We have yet to be on an ocean cruise that was 100% full; our last two-week cruise only had about 500 passengers. So, I would guess that if the ship is completely full, perhaps the Restaurant might be hard to get into, but we never had any trouble at all getting in there.

The Restaurant no longer requires reservations.

[Clay Clayton]

6 hours ago, BobCatter said:

Y'all were so helpful with the onboard costs and excursions, now I need the primer for dining! 
 

Reservations: needed? not needed? worth it for the 3 (I think) 'fancy' places?
Casual dining: any problem getting seated when you wanted to?
Room service: as good as a table when you aren't feeling social?
 

Tips for a newbie on Viking Ocean?

 

Thanks again!

If you would read the newbie thread you would already have answers to a lot of your questions🤔

 

But since you seem unwilling to do so😂 I’ll repaste here what I posted there previously:

 

Our Favorite Viking Dishes

Breakfast:

Grilled lamb chops-The Restaurant

Raisin Pistachio Bun-The Living Room

Waffle-Mamsen’s

Potatoes Lyonaise-The World Cafe

 

Lunch:

Seared tuna-Pool Grill

(we have a salad made at the World Cafe while tuna is being prepared and then have the tuna on top)

Hamburger with Onion Rings-Pool Grill

Open Faced Sandwiches-Mamsen’s

Porcetta on the buffet

 

Afternoon Tea:

Scones with clotted cream-The Winter Garden

 

Pre-dinner:

Cold seafood and sushi-The World Cafe (then enjoy it at the Aquavit Terrace)

 

Dinner:

Chilean (NOT seared Mediterranean) Sea Bass -The Restaurant 

Cold Pea Soup-The Restaurant 

Lotus Menu - The Chef’s Table

Whole Split Lobster-The Restaurant not offered all the time

Steak Florentine-Manfredi’s 

Indian Ryazan broth - tomato soup (vegetarian)

 

Desserts:

Gelato-The World Cafe, try the sugar free flavors of ice cream and cookies-some we like better than full sugar ones

And had oatmeal cookie ice cream fir the first time on Sky in Iceland   So So good!

Cold Pea Soup-The Restaurant (seriously-it’s that good)

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by Clay Clayton

[Liz Masterson]

Hmmm. I’m clearly going to have to find that cold pea soup… Thanks for the tips @Clay Clayton … I’d never have tried the sugar free gelato!

[Twitchly]

Oh, the waffle at Mamsen’s. Cardamom batter, with caramelized cheese and fruit. Sounds weird but it’s fabulous! I don’t usually like waffles, but I dream about this one.

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, longterm said:

So, I would guess that if the ship is completely full, perhaps the Restaurant might be hard to get into, but we never had any trouble at all getting in there.

 

Even on a full ship we have never been told  that there wasn't a table for us. There were times when we had to wait our turn to be seated but the line always moves quickly.

[BobCatter]

11 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

If you would read the newbie thread you would already have answers to a lot of your questions🤔

 

But since you seem unwilling to do so😂 I’ll repaste here what I posted there previously.....

 

 

 

See? so VERY helpful!!  😆😆 

Thanks, Clay.

[BobCatter]

11 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

If you would read the newbie thread you would already have answers to a lot of your questions🤔

 

But since you seem unwilling to do so😂 I’ll repaste here what I posted there previously.....

 

 

 

See? so VERY helpful!!  😆😆 

Thanks, Clay.

[BobCatter]

Add-on question: What is the most romantic spot to have a private celebration? Hubby and I will be celebrating our 30th anniversary on this cruise. Could be a dinner. Drinks. Place to watch the stars with a dessert. Anything really.

Edited June 13, 2022 by BobCatter

[Clay Clayton]

11 hours ago, Liz Masterson said:

Hmmm. I’m clearly going to have to find that cold pea soup… Thanks for the tips @Clay Clayton … I’d never have tried the sugar free gelato!

I’ve only seen the pea soup on the menu once.  We liked it so much we asked for some to take to our room for the next day. On our last cruise we were excited when we saw pea soup on the menu at the WC.  Alas, it was warm split pea soup. When the restaurant manager stopped by our table we responded to the usual question, “How is everything?” with “fine but we were hoping for the chilled pea soup”. A few minutes later one of the chef’s came to our table and said to be sure to ask for him the next day.  We did and were so pleased to have it again!

 

Please note I said (or meant to say), some of the sugar-free gelato!

 

[Clay Clayton]

26 minutes ago, BobCatter said:

Add-on question: What is the most romantic spot to have a private celebration? Hubby and I will be celebrating our 30th anniversary on this cruise. Could be a dinner. Drinks. Place to watch the stars with a dessert. Anything really.

For dinner I would let the restaurant manager know a few days ahead of time and would ask for a quiet table by the window in The Restaurant.  I would skip dessert there and head up to the World Cafe, pick out a dessert (or make a sampler tray), swing by the Aquavit Bar and pickup two glasses of sparkling (or amaretto) and then take it all to the bow and then up two decks to enjoy. 

[BobCatter]

Nice! 

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

Hummm most romantic place on board to have a private celebration....I'd say your veranda.  My husband and I have celebrated an anniversary on board and either bringing what you want to consume back to your room, or ordering via room service, seems like the most logical place to me.  

 

As far as dinning, food is so subjective.  One common thought I read however, the World Cafe is always a win. They are willing to do what you need right there.  I don't like rare meat, and that's no problem, they throw it on the grill for me.  For food like you want it...World Cafe is a good choice.  Manfredi's, the bread basket...it's got to be experienced.  As others have said, you'll want to head for the Living Room for coffee.  Not only is it the best coffee on board, having those roving waiters come by saying, "Madame, may I get you anything," is worth the price of the cruise! 

[MVPinBoynton]

Thank you for the menu recommendations Clay.  They all sound wonderful.  I have a feeling they will only have hot pea soup on our Northern Lights cruise in February.😄

[Ceegeefl]

We had the raisin pistachio  bun in the Living Room after Clay mentioned it and it was delicious! We proceeded to go down there almost every morning for at least the coffee-and several more pistachio buns!

 

I also loved the focaccia in the bread basket at Manfredis and the berries with mascarpone at the Restaurant  for breakfast. 

 

We only waited once about 5 minutes for a table in the Restaurant and were able to reserve one of the speciality restaurants  whenever we wanted.

 

At the time,last month, there were 800 on our cruise according  to the manager of the restaurants.