Speciality restaurant booking - what time?

[Techno123]

What time does the booking window open for the speciality dining and is this East coast or West coast time? In a concierge so I can see it 60 days before the cruise but not sure of the time 😁 Many thanks in advance

[Vallesan]

Think it’s a minute past midnight. If I’m wrong somebody will jump in !

[EJL2023]

55 minutes ago, Techno123 said:

What time does the booking window open for the speciality dining and is this East coast or West coast time? In a concierge so I can see it 60 days before the cruise but not sure of the time 😁 Many thanks in advance

12:01 AM, East Coast time. 

[Techno123]

Thank you @EJL2023 and @Vallesan

[GeezerCouple]

On 3/26/2024 at 1:30 PM, Techno123 said:

What time does the booking window open for the speciality dining and is this East coast or West coast time? In a concierge so I can see it 60 days before the cruise but not sure of the time 😁 Many thanks in advance

Depending upon when you prefer to dine, be it date/day of week/time, if it turns out you can't get anything that works, then take the "next best" time on the same evening.

It's very likely that it's going to be a lot easier for them to juggle reservation times a bit on the same evening, than to try to add a reservation to a different "full" evening.

 

Then stop by the reservation desk as early as possible on your cruise, of the actual restaurant (not at a busy time!) and explain, and ask if they could move you closer to preferred time, etc.

 

GC

[alcpa1]

Just off an O sailing this morning.

Another option is to book a sharing table. This adds another layer of booking flexibility and O guests are generally gregarious.

[Snaefell3]

If you want the precise tick...

 

It's when your web browser realizes that Oceania's server thinks it's 1 millisecond after midnight, Eastern time (UTC-4 or UTC-5).  Go to the dining portion of your booked cruise shortly before midnight, and hit your browser's refresh button every few seconds until the options appear.

[Techno123]

Thanks @Snaefell3 That will likely be 5am our time 😂

 

[Snaefell3]

8 hours ago, Techno123 said:

Thanks @Snaefell3 That will likely be 5am our time 😂

 

You are permitted to yawn between refreshes.  😜 

[Vallesan]

8 hours ago, Techno123 said:

Thanks @Snaefell3 That will likely be 5am our time 😂

 

We were also 60 days pre cruise. I’m an early riser and just after 6am UK time I got tables for 2 @7.30pm in all the specialities. We don’t have a problem dining with others but I have found that 90% of the time (9 cruises) tables for 2 were available. Also, on occasion, we should have been a 4 but the other 2 didn’t turn up! 
 

All a bit hit and miss but even when we have had  a shared table with 6 it’s been ‘interesting’ to say the least!

 

Most important thing to remember is that nothing is ‘set in stone’ and dates, times and numbers can often be changed once onboard.

[MEFIowa]

16 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

We were also 60 days pre cruise. I’m an early riser and just after 6am UK time I got tables for 2 @7.30pm in all the specialities. We don’t have a problem dining with others but I have found that 90% of the time (9 cruises) tables for 2 were available. 

What A, PH and above cabins can get and do, their success rate, has NOTHING to do with the failure rate for G-B cabins. The cabin level makes a huge difference, since the majority of cruisers are G-B.

[Vallesan]

1 hour ago, MEFIowa said:

What A, PH and above cabins can get and do, their success rate, has NOTHING to do with the failure rate for G-B cabins. The cabin level makes a huge difference, since the majority of cruisers are G-B.

The poster has a 60 day window to book. I was responding to him not to cruisers with cabin level G-B. 
 

There is a price difference between the cabin levels each with different ‘perks’. 
 

You pay your money and you make your choice!

[Snaefell3]

3 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

There is a price difference between the cabin levels each with different ‘perks’. 
 

You pay your money and you make your choice!

Yep.  But occasionally "other factors" intrude.  Last cruise, our window opened at 12:00:00.1 AM, Jan 1.  Methinks most other folks were ...otherwise occupied.  😉 

[richyking]

I got onto the Oceania site at 4.01am gmt (12.01am USA ET) slight delay due to technical issues(404) this was 45 days before 11 May sailing as I am B2. Only three restaurants available  no red ginger either private or sharing have checked each day since and still no red ginger I assume there are no vacancies. Sent a message to Oceania but no response although I wasn't expecting one as they have never responded to any message sent!! Guess I will try when on board.

[Snaefell3]

20 minutes ago, richyking said:

I got onto the Oceania site at 4.01am gmt (12.01am USA ET) slight delay due to technical issues(404) this was 45 days before 11 May sailing as I am B2. Only three restaurants available  no red ginger either private or sharing have checked each day since and still no red ginger I assume there are no vacancies. Sent a message to Oceania but no response although I wasn't expecting one as they have never responded to any message sent!! Guess I will try when on board.

Fact:  Not all reservation slots are released to the website.  Some are held onboard to fix issues like yours.  See the Dining Reservations Desk folks when on board -- sooner the better.

 

[richyking]

Thank you Snaefell3