Penthouse vs. Concierge

[Woofa]

I believe that the individual cruise can make a difference.  On our 10 night Riviera Caribbean last year I spoke to someone on the day before disembarkation who had eaten in specialties 9 nights.  Now, I do not know what level of cabin they had or how many nights they ate in shared tables or at what times.  Certainly, it seems that on many cruises you can get extra reservations if you are open and diligent.  For our upcoming cruise I will shoot for an extra night or two in a specialty but continue to want to eat at least one night each in the MDR, Terrace and Waves pizza.  maybe twice in Terrace if the weather lets us sit outside, we really enjoyed the grill station.

[Sthrngary]

8 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Though I'm not sure you're giving an adequate presentation for others to make sense of your specific situation on that cruise.

 

You HAD A VERY HIGH-LEVEL cabin, far above PH. Weren't you the Vista Suite (VS) 12001? You were kind enough to give me a tour of your VS. And how you got it was out of the norm. I wonder how many know that story?

 

And weren't you eating with the other couple, so tables for 4 most nights? How many of your 9 were tables for just 2? AND what times were you eating at? We could get the early times for our A3 cabin, but not for our B3.

 

For sadly, as we learned at the B versus A levels on our B2B that included your 10-night cruise, O wouldn't allow us to book from the B cabin at times we wanted in advance. And once they changed our 9 pm reservation to 8:30, which seemed to be the actual last time for any couples to arrive. The places emptying out by 9 pm. All but deserted by 9:30.

 

So begs the question, HOW did you keep getting reservations when we were denied them in advance? And none available the day of. WE tried to go to the desk to get better times. Nothing was available for us on the 4 nights we had our reservations. All crummy late times.

@MEFIowa I truly enjoy your comments and posts on CruiseCritic.com.  I also attempt to always respond in a kind way to all that have a question or want my limited advice.  You are the expert on finding value in everything you do.  We all can learn a lot from you and the experience you have successfully achieved.  I was personally impressed with your approach although mine was different.  I, on the other hand have far less experience on Oceania but I try to be a quick learner.  That is the purpose of social media in my opinion.

 

My issue was not my Vista Suite. It was having each of the meal with my traveling partners who were in a Penthouse.  So YES it was a table for four.  I did not see the question how do I get a table for two, just how do I get additional reservations.  I must have missed that. Second, our butler helped us once and we took a reservation earlier then we liked.  That was just fine. Third, the main person in the restaurants helped us multiple times because we got to know them.  I did not show my Vista Suite card, they were kind and considerate. Make people have a good time doing what they do, they treat you better. Just my approach and it works for me. 

 

I don't do many things right, just ask my family,  but what I am good at is engaging with people. I made a living at it during four decades.  If some of the recommendations I provide work, great; if you try and it does not work, then nothing lost.  What I don't believe in is taking NO for an answer. Never give up.

 

I hope to see you and your lovely bride on a future cruise.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

 

[MEFIowa]

2 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

... My issue was not my Vista Suite. It was having each of the meal with my traveling partners who were in a Penthouse. So YES it was a table for four. ... Second, our butler helped us once and we took a reservation earlier then we liked. ... Third, the main person in the restaurants helped us multiple times because we got to know them.  I did not show my Vista Suite card, they were kind and considerate. ... Just my approach and it works for me...

You're being too modest. You might remind people who don't know HOW you got your Vista Suite. IIRC, quite the fascinating story. And who on board Riviera might've known it before you boarded or the day you boarded?

 

And one suspects that the restaurant staff, esp. those in charge, know who is in the three (3) Oceania Suites and eight (8) Vista Suites on Riviera.

[ORV]

1 hour ago, MEFIowa said:

And one suspects that the restaurant staff, esp. those in charge, know who is in the three (3) Oceania Suites and eight (8) Vista Suites on Riviera.

They know everything about everyone onboard. I think you don't eat in the GDR but they ask you your room number when you check in. I don't know what they're seeing when they enter it, but I'm pretty sure it determines where you wind up sitting. 

[1985rz1]

14 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

Thank you both. So basically, all is the same in terms of numbers of reservations in specialty restaurants PH and below.   However, your butler (which we have never had…we never felt we would see the added value for the cost on some lines, tbh) can be helpful. 

This thread has given me a lot to think about…..
 

Just to emphasize @AMHuntFerry's post, for the O and A ships on cruions 18 days and longer, PHs get more advance reservations than A category and below. And there are some distinctions between A category and those below on longer cruises on R ships.

[Tr1v1alCru1ser]

I can honestly say that in 20 O Cruises, I’ve never seen passengers treated any differently because of their cabin choice.  We’ve never asked what cabin category anyone is in, because frankly, it’s not important.

[clo]

7 hours ago, Woofa said:

I believe that the individual cruise can make a difference.  On our 10 night Riviera Caribbean last year I spoke to someone on the day before disembarkation who had eaten in specialties 9 nights.  Now, I do not know what level of cabin they had or how many nights they ate in shared tables or at what times.  Certainly, it seems that on many cruises you can get extra reservations if you are open and diligent.  For our upcoming cruise I will shoot for an extra night or two in a specialty but continue to want to eat at least one night each in the MDR, Terrace and Waves pizza.  maybe twice in Terrace if the weather lets us sit outside, we really enjoyed the grill station.

I'm with you. I have NO desire to spend the whole trip in the same few places and dare I say 'ambiance'? 

[Redtravel]

On 5/12/2024 at 6:00 PM, ORV said:

They know everything about everyone onboard. I think you don't eat in the GDR but they ask you your room number when you check in. I don't know what they're seeing when they enter it, but I'm pretty sure it determines where you wind up sitting. 

You can request to sit at any available table.  We have a special table on Marina. We have requested it on many cruises.  Not sure why they ask for your cabin number in the GDR.  Maybe it’s a way to track you if you forget an item.  Maybe it’s a way to look up your drink package or find you if you have a drink and not sign for it.  It is more likely a way to distribute guests so that people don’t fill up one section of the GDR.  

[Tr1v1alCru1ser]

That’s been my understanding too @Redtravel.  I’ve always thought guests are seated around the dining room so as not to have too many tables being waited on by the same wait staff.  If we’ve been shown to a table that we didn’t particularly want to sit at (back of GDR in rough seas!), we’ve simply asked to be seated somewhere else, and it was never a problem. 

[ORV]

I've never had a complaint where they seat us. After the first or second day they generally know we want a two top, we never request a specific spot, but generally are seated by a window. Actually depending on the hostess they usually know our name and room number by day 3 or so. I'm amazed how they do that. 

5 hours ago, Redtravel said:

It is more likely a way to distribute guests so that people don’t fill up one section of the GDR.  

It would seem to me they can do that without knowing your room number. 

[clo]

51 minutes ago, Tr1v1alCru1ser said:

That’s been my understanding too @Redtravel.  I’ve always thought guests are seated around the dining room so as not to have too many tables being waited on by the same wait staff.  If we’ve been shown to a table that we didn’t particularly want to sit at (back of GDR in rough seas!), we’ve simply asked to be seated somewhere else, and it was never a problem. 

That absolutely happens in land restaurants.

[ORV]

21 minutes ago, clo said:

That absolutely happens in land restaurants.

The former or the latter?

[clo]

1 minute ago, ORV said:

The former or the latter?

 

23 minutes ago, clo said:

guests are seated around the dining room so as not to have too many tables being waited on by the same wait staff.

This. Sorry. I knew I should have made the distinction. On land, at places where we go pretty often, we get "favored nation status" so get to have our favorite server regardless but I agree with that way above.

[ORV]

For the GDR my observations say that it depends on which meal it is. Many times at lunch (when they have it, usually sea day) I've noticed they will sit most of the diners in the same basic area. Since there are so few compared to other meals it keeps the wait staff from running all over the room. 

[Francesca 7667]

On 5/12/2024 at 10:28 AM, Woofa said:

I believe that the individual cruise can make a difference.  On our 10 night Riviera Caribbean last year I spoke to someone on the day before disembarkation who had eaten in specialties 9 nights.  Now, I do not know what level of cabin they had or how many nights they ate in shared tables or at what times.  Certainly, it seems that on many cruises you can get extra reservations if you are open and diligent.  For our upcoming cruise I will shoot for an extra night or two in a specialty but continue to want to eat at least one night each in the MDR, Terrace and Waves pizza.  maybe twice in Terrace if the weather lets us sit outside, we really enjoyed the grill station.

Our butler was useless when it came to reserving specialty restaurants. We asked him several days in advance, and he replied that he had to wait until the same day. When the day came, he said he could only place us on a waiting list for 8:30!  By 8:30, if we never got in, all restaurants were closed, and we would have missed dinner completely. We told him to forget it. He wasn’t very swift in other regards as well. 
We are booked for a PH for our 2025 cruise. Hopefully we’ll get a butler who is useful and/or not doing his apprenticeship. 

[clo]

7 hours ago, Francesca 7667 said:

Our butler was useless when it came to reserving specialty restaurants. We asked him several days in advance, and he replied that he had to wait until the same day. When the day came, he said he could only place us on a waiting list for 8:30!  By 8:30, if we never got in, all restaurants were closed, and we would have missed dinner completely. We told him to forget it. He wasn’t very swift in other regards as well. 
We are booked for a PH for our 2025 cruise. Hopefully we’ll get a butler who is useful and/or not doing his apprenticeship. 

The only time we wanted and got an extra seating at Jacques we stopped by the desk ourselves and asked. We shared a table and had a very nice time and dinner.