Will O change dining reservation time like Regent has?

[edgee]

Just saw where Regent has changed dining reservation availability time from 12:01 a.m. on date resevations open to 8.p.m Eastern Time. For east coast U.S. residents no longer need for staying up late to get first crack at booking. Wonder if Oceania will do the same.

[mauibabes]

Regent is a separate company but you never know.  From my perspective being on the west coast, I hope they do not make this change of reservation booking time. I appreciate the advantage. 😇 I have lost a lot of sleep over the years booking cruises on release days or dining reservations. 

Mauibabes

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, mauibabes said:

I have lost a lot of sleep over the years booking cruises on release days or dining reservations. 

Mauibabes

You cannot stay up until 9PM ?

Try staying up until midnight like we have to 🤔

 

[mauibabes]

2 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

You cannot stay up until 9PM ?

Try staying up until midnight like we have to 🤔

 

 

3 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

You cannot stay up until 9PM ?

Try staying up until midnight like we have to 🤔

 

But I like 9:00 much better. Actually I really love it when we are sitting on our lanai in Hawaii and I get to log in and book reservations 😁😉👍✌️
mauibabes

[Redtravel]

It might be better if you could make reservations as soon as you pay final payment.  

[LHT28]

3 hours ago, mauibabes said:

 

But I like 9:00 much better. Actually I really love it when we are sitting on our lanai in Hawaii and I get to log in and book reservations 😁😉👍✌️
mauibabes

Oh the losing sleep comment  must have been your afternoon nap time  🤔

[pinotlover]

Time to destroy a popular current myth. We are on a full ship. Our 17 day cruise is a combo of a 7 and 10 day segments. People got off and on in Lisbon, but we’re still full.

 

As with the half, or less than, full cruises one should no longer expect to go down in the mornings and make additional Specialty restaurant reservations . Even those with butlers are learning they can’t book a Specialty every night. Lots of guarantees to be filled and heavy demand. Those that waited to book aboard are finding that even sharing is often only available at a later hour. Full ships change the dynamics of recent earlier experiences.

 

Being on an unsegemented 15-20 day cruise may be different, but this is the new normal on a full segmented cruise.

[Ski Mom 2]

34 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Time to destroy a popular current myth. We are on a full ship. Our 17 day cruise is a combo of a 7 and 10 day segments. People got off and on in Lisbon, but we’re still full.

 

As with the half, or less than, full cruises one should no longer expect to go down in the mornings and make additional Specialty restaurant reservations . Even those with butlers are learning they can’t book a Specialty every night. Lots of guarantees to be filled and heavy demand. Those that waited to book aboard are finding that even sharing is often only available at a later hour. Full ships change the dynamics of recent earlier experiences.

 

Being on an unsegemented 15-20 day cruise may be different, but this is the new normal on a full segmented cruise.

Can I ask what constitutes a "later hour" for dining in the specialty restaurants? We are a few days out from making our initial specialty restaurant reservations and are traveling with several others who don't get as many reservations as we do and are trying to figure out how to include them in some of ours.

 

Thanks!

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, Ski Mom 2 said:

Can I ask what constitutes a "later hour" for dining in the specialty restaurants? We are a few days out from making our initial specialty restaurant reservations and are traveling with several others who don't get as many reservations as we do and are trying to figure out how to include them in some of ours.

 

Thanks!

8:30-9:00 p.m.

[Ski Mom 2]

Oh wow! I thought the restaurants were done at 9!

[LHT28]

6 minutes ago, Ski Mom 2 said:

Oh wow! I thought the restaurants were done at 9!

last res  at 9pm   the staff will be there until everyone is done 

[pinotlover]

6 minutes ago, Ski Mom 2 said:

Oh wow! I thought the restaurants were done at 9!

Nope, that’s the latest reservations made! Restaurants stay open until those are finished.

[daleandrews]

3 hours ago, Ski Mom 2 said:

We are a few days out from making our initial specialty restaurant reservations and are traveling with several others who don't get as many reservations as we do and are trying to figure out how to include them in some of ours.

 

We will be on Marina next week (Nov. 1).  We are in a PH and are traveling with another couple who are in a Concierge cabin.  When our date for reserving restaurants came up I was easily able to make our reservations on line and, in each case, add our two friends in as guests even though their reservation window had yet to open.  I did this for 8 reservations, 2 per specialty restaurant, even though our friends only had guaranteed slots for 4 nights.  This is all pretty self-explanatory in the on-line instructions.  A couple things to watch out for, though.  First, you apparently can't add more than 2 guests -- the option to add a guest disappears after the second is added.  Second, if your trip is a segmented journey, made up of 2 shorter underlying cruises, your reservations must be spread out -- with us, 1 per restaurant in each segment to reach the total of 8.  

[Redtravel]

I used to get online at midnight when the reservations opened up.  For my upcoming cruise, I actually forgot.  Got online 2 days later and got acceptable tables for two at my preferred times.  

[meg1021]

5 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Time to destroy a popular current myth. We are on a full ship. Our 17 day cruise is a combo of a 7 and 10 day segments. People got off and on in Lisbon, but we’re still full.

 

As with the half, or less than, full cruises one should no longer expect to go down in the mornings and make additional Specialty restaurant reservations . Even those with butlers are learning they can’t book a Specialty every night. Lots of guarantees to be filled and heavy demand. Those that waited to book aboard are finding that even sharing is often only available at a later hour. Full ships change the dynamics of recent earlier experiences.

 

Being on an unsegemented 15-20 day cruise may be different, but this is the new normal on a full segmented cruise.

We are first time Oceania cruisers, booked for 48 days on Insignia the Jan/Feb (two 24 day segments).  We're in Cat B1, and have 2 specialty reservations available in each of the restaurants.  My first available date to book those is December 1st.  Based on your current experience, it sounds like I shouldn't wait until we board to make those reservations.  Is it really necessary to go online at 12:01 the day that they're available, because that seems a little bit much?  Also, I would prefer a table for 2, but would be willing to share a table at a preferred time , if necessary?  Is that presented as an option?  Also, can you provide more information on getting additional reservations at the specialty restaurants, if they're available.  Are they only allotted on that day? Or can they also be done in advance, once onboard?  Do you know whether I can book reservations for both segments, or do I have to wait 45 days before the Feb 8th segment?  Thanks for any information that you can provide to an Oceania newbie!

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, meg1021 said:

We are first time Oceania cruisers, booked for 48 days on Insignia the Jan/Feb (two 24 day segments).  We're in Cat B1, and have 2 specialty reservations available in each of the restaurants.  My first available date to book those is December 1st.  Based on your current experience, it sounds like I shouldn't wait until we board to make those reservations.  Is it really necessary to go online at 12:01 the day that they're available, because that seems a little bit much?  Also, I would prefer a table for 2, but would be willing to share a table at a preferred time , if necessary?  Is that presented as an option?  Also, can you provide more information on getting additional reservations at the specialty restaurants, if they're available.  Are they only allotted on that day? Or can they also be done in advance, once onboard?  Do you know whether I can book reservations for both segments, or do I have to wait 45 days before the Feb 8th segment?  Thanks for any information that you can provide to an Oceania newbie!

Yes you should try to pre book  but no you can book the next day  if you like 

time slots may be limited but keep checking before  your cruise  some may open up

 Yes just select  sharing if you cannot get  a 2 top

[janecambridge]

Regards Regent excursion bookings, it is 8pm ET but 1am for us Brits.Seem a little unfair to have to wait until 1am and get to bed at nearly 2 am on a working week!

[1985rz1]

10 hours ago, janecambridge said:

Regards Regent excursion bookings, it is 8pm ET but 1am for us Brits.Seem a little unfair to have to wait until 1am and get to bed at nearly 2 am on a working week!

No time zone is safe 🙃.

[janecambridge]

5 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

No time zone is safe 🙃.

sorry I don’t understand! 

[1985rz1]

2 minutes ago, janecambridge said:

sorry I don’t understand! 

Sorry, it was meant to be a bit of a joke.  Your frustration is real, but what I was suggesting is that whenever Regent decides to release it's reservation, there is some time zone that suffers an inconvenience.  For example, 8 pm ET is in the middle of the workday for folks in Hawaii (2 pm) so they can't go on line to beat the rush. 

[edgee]

On 10/28/2022 at 3:20 AM, janecambridge said:

Regards Regent excursion bookings, it is 8pm ET but 1am for us Brits.Seem a little unfair to have to wait until 1am and get to bed at nearly 2 am on a working week!

True, but look at all the years we in the U.S. Eastern time zone have had to stay up until 12:01 a.m. Of course that is 5:01 for you Brits, so not much better!

[janecambridge]

1 hour ago, edgee said:

True, but look at all the years we in the U.S. Eastern time zone have had to stay up until 12:01 a.m. Of course that is 5:01 for you Brits, so not much better!

 

so why is it better for others but not us? 

[edgee]

7 minutes ago, janecambridge said:

 

so why is it better for others but not us? 

8 p.m. Eastern U.S. time is better for U.S. but admittedly not for Brits. No time is perfect for everybody.

[LHT28]

OMG

 

Can we find other things  to complain about  my life is so boring without CC

🙄😁

[BigCheese1]

On 10/28/2022 at 8:20 AM, janecambridge said:

Regards Regent excursion bookings, it is 8pm ET but 1am for us Brits.Seem a little unfair to have to wait until 1am and get to bed at nearly 2 am on a working week!

So Jane, and everyone else, another Brit here , too.

What time do Oceania open the Speciality restaurant bookings opportunities  up? I can work out the date (60 days in advance for Concierge) but can’t find the time. Guess that’ll be USA EST……