Not sure about Privee. Opinions?

[Cliff-FLL]

We normally book Privée for 2 nights.  The first booking is an intimate evening just for the 2 of us.  It gives us a chance to reflect on our holiday thus far, with impeccable service provided by 2-3 crew members who are not distracted by other people.  As the cruise goes on, we make note of people whose company we've especially enjoyed and request that the butler send invitations to them.  On the night of the dinner, we host a cocktail party and then, as a group, head up to the dining room.  We've always enjoyed both evenings and we still stay in touch with some of our guests.

[Cliff-FLL]

BTW, the last few times we booked, they provided special menus that were unique to Privée, rather than simply ordering from Toscana or Polo.

[Traveller94]

janecambridge, Thanks for the birthday wishes!

 

Cliff-FLL, it’s interesting to hear from someone who enjoys Privee as a couple, as well as a group. Thanks for letting me know that can be an enjoyable option.

 

I’m awash in excellent choices it seems! I’ll come back during/after the cruise and let everyone know what we ended up doing. 30 days to go!

[pinotlover]

This thread prompted me to get Privee booked on my next Marina cruise. My TA has taken care of it for me. Looking forward to the new additional menu items.

 

Another wine dinner to be planned! 😁

 

Since we’re doing South America, I think the wine theme is self evident. Salivating already!

[mauibabes]

Ditto Pinot,

We head to Buenos Aires in January so everyone’s comments are telling me to get my XXX in gear and book an evening in La Privee. We will celebrate South America opening up and 🙏🙏🙏🤞our prayers that 2023 will be our year to finally cruise South America. 🤪👍

 

ciao, Mauibabes 
 

[Ski Mom 2]

We're traveling with a small group to SA and I'm thinking a dinner in La Privee might be the perfect way to kick off our cruise. Does anyone know if they can stretch the number to 12?

[ORV]

Point of order, It's just Privee. But there is a La Reserve. 

[mauibabes]

Ask on board as opposed to booking ahead via your TA or directly to Oceania.  It is supposed to be max 10 but I have been told from a FB Director they might be able to “stretch” the table.  That is a joke!  That table is solid marble. Try your luck. 
 

Mauibabes

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, Ski Mom 2 said:

We're traveling with a small group to SA and I'm thinking a dinner in La Privee might be the perfect way to kick off our cruise. Does anyone know if they can stretch the number to 12?

maybe if you stand up to eat

 I have seen 10 & it was tight

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

Ask on board as opposed to booking ahead via your TA or directly to Oceania.  It is supposed to be max 10 but I have been told from a FB Director they might be able to “stretch” the table.  That is a joke!  That table is solid marble. Try your luck. 
 

Mauibabes

Bad advice, based on an era of significantly reduced passenger capacity.  I just recently ACTUALLY booked and found my optimum evening already taken and a limited number of evenings still available/open  for booking . I believe if one follows Mauibabes’s advice they may well be “ left in the cold”.

 

This Board struggles with the differentiation of those sailing during Covid conditions at very low ship capacity and those sailing at past , and future, full capacity. Our October fully waitlisted cruise versus our recent barely 50% capacity summer cruise is a perfect example. 
 

My advice: If one desires a Privee evening, they had better book it sooner than later.

 

Ten is the max capacity. I can’t imagine adulterating a wonderful evening by attempting to exceed capacity.

[mauibabes]

Thanks for straightening me out, Guess I misspoke. What I meant was to book, book NOW because he who hesitates is lost.   I have always been told 10 was the limit but if you really need 12, you can always ask because miracles can happen. JMO

 

I am hearing our January cruise is almost sold out so all the easy reservations will be gone for sure. 
Mauibabes

[tipsygirl]

On 7/17/2022 at 10:13 PM, Traveller94 said:

Wow! Those soufflés sound awesome. If you ate at a specialty restaurant can you go to the main dining room for soufflé dessert?😁

 

Thanks for the tip about the goat cheese soufflé. I may have to try it. I do have an intolerance to goat cheese, so it would be living on the edge, but maybe worth it. 
 

I was able to find the cancellation policy on my main invoice. Strangely, I didn’t even think to look there. It says 36 hours or less is a 100% cancellation fee. I’m assuming that means any time before 36 hours is no fee.

Thank you all for the help!

Oceania is very accommodating in handling dietary issues. I am on a gluten free diet. On our last Oceania cruise we attended 2 of the La Reserve dinners and they provided  several substitutions for dishes containing gluten. Let them know in advance and they may be able to provide a different shuffle, or another tasty alternative. Fortunately for me I have no problem with goat cheese, and I loved the goat cheese soufflé in both La Reserve and Jacques

[mauibabes]

FYI, 

I just tried to book Privee in January on Marina and reservations are not open yet as we are 180+ days out from sailing. Perhaps after Final Payment. We will just have to check next month. 
Mauibabes

[Flatbush Flyer]

We’ve enjoyed several Priveé dinners, both invited and shared, and they certainly can be a special evening.

But, with the understanding that we all can have different interior decorating preferences, I have to add that the decor of the room is (IMO) less than inviting (at least, when compared to La Reserve). 
Other opinions?

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

FYI, 

I just tried to book Privee in January on Marina and reservations are not open yet as we are 180+ days out from sailing. Perhaps after Final Payment. We will just have to check next month. 
Mauibabes

My TA booked me for our March cruise. It shows on my online account.

 

Did you DIY and call 1-800? 😂😂 Was it a satisfying experience exercising all that control? 😂😂
 

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by pinotlover

[mauibabes]

I can only guess that Oceania has not opened my January 18  cruise for Privee bookings yet because my TA has been talking directly to them, even Supervisors. 
I can wait to book because if I can’t get a booking, neither can anyone else. Besides in a month we hit FP and I would expect to be able to book something then.  
Perhaps it is an issue of Oceania’s managing of South America sailings and they are holding back on opening the reservations window for Privee. I was told Marina was going to be very full, pushing 1200 passengers. 
Ciao, Mauibabes

[JoePDX]

6 hours ago, mauibabes said:

FYI, 

I just tried to book Privee in January on Marina and reservations are not open yet as we are 180+ days out from sailing. Perhaps after Final Payment. We will just have to check next month. 
Mauibabes

Hi Mauibabes -

 

I had so many answers from Oceania on when I could book Privee.  I finally had my TA call and got the answer of final payment.   Then when I called, the Privee schedule hadn't been loaded to the cruise yet (which is two segments) and I had to wait until they got it loaded which took a few days.    I booked Privee on 5/19, final payment was processed 5/15.  

 

So looking forward to this cruise and to a lovely evening in Privee. 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Joe

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, JoePDX said:

....I had so many answers from Oceania on when I could book Privee.  I finally had my TA call and got the answer of final payment.   Then when I called, the Privee schedule hadn't been loaded to the cruise yet (which is two segments) and I had to wait until they got it loaded which took a few days. 

With or without a TA in the mix, one nagging little problem regarding optional O purchases is that multi-segment cruises (extended journeys and custom cruises) sometimes get lost in O website and accounting systems. When changes are made to ports/excursions and opening of food reservations and related add-ons, the multi-segment cruise items are often not processed at the same time as the individual segments within that longer cruise.

[pinotlover]

8 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

With or without a TA in the mix, one nagging little problem regarding optional O purchases is that multi-segment cruises (extended journeys and custom cruises) sometimes get lost in O website and accounting systems. When changes are made to ports/excursions and opening of food reservations and related add-ons, the multi-segment cruise items are often not processed at the same time as the individual segments within that longer cruise.

This isn’t rocket science. Whether one is on a ten (10) day cruise or a 50 day cruise, the Privee has a calendar with only one reservation per evening available. My experience, with the efforts of my professional TA, has been that if the calendar is open for booking, she can book.

 

FWIW, my highly professional TA booked us into Privee on our S.A. Cruise for next March. FP is not until 9/22. Whether it’s Oceania shorex or Privee, I have never found Oceania unwilling to take my deposits/money far in advance of FP. For unexplainable reasons they are sometimes late in scheduling La Reserve dinners.

 

 

[mauibabes]

Pinot,

I was told Oceania had not opened up Privee for booking for our January 18 sailing from Buenos Aires to Santiago. Strange it would be opened for your March sailing but that is the word I got. If your Ace TA tells you it is Open for Jan. 18, I would appreciate hearing from you as I want to reserve it for a group dinner.  
Thanks,

Mauibabes

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, pinotlover said:

This isn’t rocket science. Whether one is on a ten (10) day cruise or a 50 day cruise, the Privee has a calendar with only one reservation per evening available. My experience, with the efforts of my professional TA, has been that if the calendar is open for booking, she can book.

 

FWIW, my highly professional TA booked us into Privee on our S.A. Cruise for next March. FP is not until 9/22. Whether it’s Oceania shorex or Privee, I have never found Oceania unwilling to take my deposits/money far in advance of FP. For unexplainable reasons they are sometimes late in scheduling La Reserve dinners.

 

 

And therein lies the problem- it’s NOT “rocket science” and, ergo, is it is very prone to human error.
As much as your “professional” TA might try, if the loading of an optional purchase offer is not loaded into the O accounting system for your cruise (in the case of an extended journey, a cruise number with an “A” on the end), there is no way for him/her (or their O contact) to book what doesn’t officially “exist”.

The sometimes missing internal O communication’s affect on smooth accounting transitions has been a known problem since Mike Moore ran O’s IT before moving over to Regent. Note that it doesn’t happen with every multi-segment cruise. Rather, it’s occasional where someone at O forgets the “A” in word processing

Again, with/without a TA in the mix, if the O accounting software does not see “A” or one of quite a few other letters after the O cruise number (due to human error in data entry at O),  the optional item cannot be purchased. What can occur (and having the right high volume O TA could quicken) is hastening a correction that allows an option that is available to single segments to be associated with the “extended journey” for which you are booked.

With the understanding that many of us use a TA for all of the obvious reasons, there is also the reality that having the right direct contacts at O can sometimes achieve what you need much quicker while also reducing the need for your TA to constantly “hold your hand.”

[pinotlover]

14 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

And therein lies the problem- it’s NOT “rocket science” and, ergo, is it is very prone to human error.
As much as your “professional” TA might try, if the loading of an optional purchase offer is not loaded into the O accounting system for your cruise (in the case of an extended journey, a cruise number with an “A” on the end), there is no way for him/her (or their O contact) to book what doesn’t officially “exist”.

The sometimes missing internal O communication’s affect on smooth accounting transitions has been a known problem since Mike Moore ran O’s IT before moving over to Regent. Note that it doesn’t happen with every multi-segment cruise. Rather, it’s occasional where someone at O forgets the “A” in word processing

Again, with/without a TA in the mix, if the O accounting software does not see “A” or one of quite a few other letters after the O cruise number (due to human error in data entry at O),  the optional item cannot be purchased. What can occur (and having the right high volume O TA could quicken) is hastening a correction that allows an option that is available to single segments to be associated with the “extended journey” for which you are booked.

With the understanding that many of us use a TA for all of the obvious reasons, there is also the reality that having the right direct contacts at O can sometimes achieve what you need much quicker while also reducing the need for your TA to constantly “hold your hand.”

😂😂

 

Lots of very detailed information from our resident Influencer. My My! Far exceeds any level of intimate detail we mere travelers need to know. Hand holding? I have a TA and know how to use her! 😂

Edited July 21, 2022 by pinotlover

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 minute ago, pinotlover said:

😂😂

 

Lots of very detailed information from our resident Influencer. My My! 😂

Sophomoric try at redirection.

 

But the reality remains: If some lower level functionary at O erroneously does not grant “permission” for your cruise number to see available purchase options (whether it’s specialty reservations, excursions, Priveé, LaReserve, pre-cruise hotels et al.), there’s no way to book it until there’s a “button to push.”

In those cases, the right TA may be able to  hasten the correction via their Regional Sales Rep (or someone else on their closely guarded Rolodex). 
The O forums here on CC are full of examples of this “human error” conundrum (with or without a TA).
And it’s also not exactly “rocket science” to understand the underpinnings of these issues.

[TakingFlight]

Sorry about this since it’s a bit off topic. I get the impression that the goat cheese soufflé might be tolerable even for those who don’t like goat cheese (like me), meaning that it is so mild as to not be offensive. I love strong cheeses but the taste of goat cheese does not agree with my palate. Opinions? I know you have them! Then we can get back on topic. Thanks!!

[Flatbush Flyer]

13 minutes ago, TakingFlight said:

Sorry about this since it’s a bit off topic. I get the impression that the goat cheese soufflé might be tolerable even for those who don’t like goat cheese (like me), meaning that it is so mild as to not be offensive. I love strong cheeses but the taste of goat cheese does not agree with my palate. Opinions? I know you have them! Then we can get back on topic. Thanks!!

Ever had grated Pecorino (alone or in combo with Parmigiano) on your pizza or pasta?

It’s goat cheese and, for many folks, hard to tell the difference from a cow cheese.