Grand Dining Room Question

[Cruisedreamer1]

As you may know, as one enters the dining room you are asked for your cabin number and name. My husband noted that we were usually seated with people from the same deck. Has anyone noted this or is this just a one off situation? We were on a December Insignia cruise if that makes a difference. I thought we were all mixed up without regard to our deck assignment.

[edgee]

12 minutes ago, Cruisedreamer1 said:

As you may know, as one enters the dining room you are asked for your cabin number and name. My husband noted that we were usually seated with people from the same deck. Has anyone noted this or is this just a one off situation? We were on a December Insignia cruise if that makes a difference. I thought we were all mixed up without regard to our deck assignment.

I don't believe where your cabin is makes any difference. We usually identify an area of the GDR where we like to sit with wait staff we like and ask to be seated in their section. We find we get better service that way.

[pinotlover]

Purely coincidence. The system merely keeps track of how many people are eating where.

 

In the past, they monitored how many Specialties meals the cruisers had. Not sure if that’s still part of it.

Edited December 31, 2023 by pinotlover

[AMHuntFerry]

I have not noticed cabin-class-matching happening, but we aren't asked to share in the GDR too often...only if it is super busy which doesn't happen as much (at least for us) if the 6:30 rush is avoided. The subject of cabin-class rarely comes up in the conversation though so I'd have to see a room card (or recognize them from down the hall) to know.

[Flatbush Flyer]

If anything in particular affects GDR walk-in seating offers, my guess is that elite O Club status outweighs cabin class. Staff, particularly  those who are long-serving, know many of those O regulars, know they interact with the GM and know that they will be back. 

[Snaefell3]

4 hours ago, Cruisedreamer1 said:

As you may know, as one enters the dining room you are asked for your cabin number

Newbies here, with just 1 completed O cruise under our belts, but our experience is that if anyone is getting special treatment based upon cabin, it's uncommon.  We were generally in the 6:30 cattle call, and folks got seated 2-top by 2-top, running down the windows, one table after another.

 

(We normally eat at the uncivilized hour of 5pm, so yeah, 6:30 even if we'd been to Tea)

 

Wild guess: Maybe O just wants to yell at folks who come back for a 2nd dinner?  ::rimshot::

[Silver Sweethearts]

4 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Purely coincidence. The system merely keeps track of how many people are eating where.

On Regent, we were told that the system monitors the likes and dislikes of the patrons  so they will be better able to serve them (that includes the staff being aware of food allergies too).

[Mura]

It's a while now since we have sailed but generally when we show up to the GDR we ask to share. The fact that they have our room number probably is only to show that we have already arrived. We are usually paired with other couples (or singles) who arrive around the same time. (We usually arrive for dinner around 8pm.)

 

Clearly no decision to put people together by deck ... considering that each deck has different levels of cabins, that wouldn't seem to make any sense at all.

 

Mura

[Snaefell3]

1 hour ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

staff being aware of food allergies too

That one is the most plausible with folks with disclosed food allergies being flagged by room number as a final safety net.  Has anyone seen a reaction to their room number after having alerted O to a food allergy?

[LHT28]

21 minutes ago, Snaefell3 said:

That one is the most plausible with folks with disclosed food allergies being flagged by room number as a final safety net.  Has anyone seen a reaction to their room number after having alerted O to a food allergy?

Reaction??

 I had special menu  ..you get  the  menu a day or so before  check off what you want  they adapt the  item to suit your needs   like  sodium free  gluten free  etc

 

When you give your room number  at the  reservations desk you are flagged  that you have a special meal  they bring out the pre filled in menu & give it to the waiter that  escorts you to the table   your meal is served  along with other tablemates  course by course

No one needs to know  you have  a special menu

Some waiters will confirm with you that  items are what you ordered  to be sure  that is no issue

 

[Snaefell3]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

Reaction??

 I had special meal   

When you give your room number you are flagged  that you have a special meal  they bring out the pre filled in menu & give it to the waiter that  escorts you to the table   your meal is served  along with other tablemates  course by course

No one needs to know  you have  a special menu

Some waiters will confirm with you that  items are what you ordered  to be sure  that is no issue

 

Mystery solved!  Thank you.

 

and bon appétit!

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, Snaefell3 said:

That one is the most plausible with folks with disclosed food allergies being flagged by room number as a final safety net.  Has anyone seen a reaction to their room number after having alerted O to a food allergy?

 

Not sure what you mean by a "reaction", but in a way, "yes" - but nothing negative.

This was in the Before Days.  When we "checked in" at the MDR Desk, we noticed a slip of paper was generated, and it included a mention about the food allergy.  That slip was handed to the person each time who escorted us to our table.

 

We were delighted that they were making use of an additional way to avoid a problem.

Yes, we also ALWAYS mention it to waitstaff when ordering: "... and this is the <special prep> dish, correct?"  We do that for every course, every meal.

 

(And we do this at every restaurant anywhere, of course, not just Oceania!)

 

GC

[DrHemlock]

15 hours ago, Cruisedreamer1 said:

As you may know, as one enters the dining room you are asked for your cabin number and name.

Never been asked for our name in GDR on any of 17 O cruises; only cabin number.  Perhaps, based on reading the above, it's because we don't have pre-stated and arranged dietary restrictions.  If we did have, then they might want to verify name with number just to be sure.

[mountain grandma]

We’ve been told by one of the Restaurant Managers and also one of the Food and Beverage Director that they ask for your cabin/suite number as a way of knowing where everyone is dining and also to better serve those with special dietary needs.  It has nothing to do with your deck number or status with Oceania.  We ask for sharing tables a lot and it is always filled as people come into the dining venue.  
 

Happy New Year everyone,

Billie

[Acrusa]

The host or hostess in the GDR will always ask for cabin number. Your name comes up and they confirm. 

Edited January 1 by Acrusa

[AMHuntFerry]

1 minute ago, Acrusa said:

The host or hostess in the GDR always ask for cabin # and your name comes  up and they greet you by name 

or when you get a really good one, they call you by name then confirm your cabin number. People with that type of memory always amaze me.

[Acrusa]

3 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

or when you get a really good one, they call you by name then confirm your cabin number. People with that type of memory always amaze me.

Just slip them a little something and they will always remember .LOL

Edited January 1 by Acrusa

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 minutes ago, Acrusa said:

Just slip them a little something and they will always remember .LOL

No bribes needed. Agreeable personality and genuinely respectful attitude work wonders.

[ORV]

I'm not sure just what it is, but most of the time the Hostess knows our name and room number on the first or second day. No bribes involved and I'm a disagreeable cuss, but I am nice and respectful to all of the staff & crew.

 

 

[DrHemlock]

On 1/1/2024 at 2:29 PM, AMHuntFerry said:

People with that type of memory always amaze me.

Me, too.  I occasionally have to ask my DW to remind me of her name.

[Acrusa]

Maybe when you give cabin # a picture and your name comes up Just saying don't really know 

[Snaefell3]

5 minutes ago, Acrusa said:

Maybe when you give cabin # a picture and your name comes up Just saying don't really know 

Back in Mar '23 on the Regatta, it was a paper list, not a computer screen.   There *are* folks that skilled, and a lot of them work for O.

 

(Yeah, on Princess your Bluetooth LE medallion identifies you to the host station's tablet and your picture, loyalty status, and any food issues pop up automagically)

[Tranquility Base]

13 minutes ago, Snaefell3 said:

automagically

My new word of the month.

[AMHuntFerry]

1 hour ago, Acrusa said:

Maybe when you give cabin # a picture and your name comes up Just saying don't really know 

Our first experience with this was our first ever cruise on Riviera in December 2021; I think this was before the facial recognition software was installed (don't know if it's at GDR entry anyway). As we walked toward the entry, we were greeted by name while still walking, and then asked to confirm our cabin number (she even knew that!)....amazing!

[MEFIowa]

1 hour ago, AMHuntFerry said:

Our first experience with this was our first ever cruise on Riviera in December 2021...

Which one were you on that month? Our very 1st ever cruise was on Riviera that month in the W. Caribbean, 12/13-23/2021. A magical cruise where COVID wasn't an issue. They did the pre-cruise COVID testing in the tent next to Terminal J. Just 719 passengers and 780 crew.