Specialty Restaurants on Longer Cruises

We have a 19 day cruise booked for next year, and I was just looking at various things in My Oceania.

I am quite sure that when we took a B2B of 18 days and 20 days in 2016, we got 2 reservations in each restaurant on each leg. We were on an R ship then; next year's cruise is on an O ship. This is what it reads for our 19 day cruise:

Owner's Suite, Vista Suite, Oceania SuiteCruises 7 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant

Cruises 8-17 days: 2 reservations at each restaurant

Cruises 18 days or more: 3 reservations at each restaurant

Penthouse SuiteCruises 17 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant

On cruises 18 days or longer guests in suite categories (OS,VS, OC and PH) can make one additional reservation in each of the specialty restaurants. Concierge level and below will still be eligible for only 1 reservation per restaurant.

The extra reservation must be made for the final third of the cruise.

Was it always like this on O ships?

You do know there are 4 specialties on the O ships, only 2 on the R's. Extra reservations are usually available.

Thanks Lou, I know.

Everyone gets one reservation in each on a 7 day cruise, so it seems you would get 2 on a cruise over 18 days. Not a big deal, just surprised at the low number!

We have a 19 day cruise booked for next year, and I was just looking at various things in My Oceania.

I am quite sure that when we took a B2B of 18 days and 20 days in 2016, we got 2 reservations in each restaurant on each leg. We were on an R ship then; next year's cruise is on an O ship. This is what it reads for our 19 day cruise:

 

 

Owner's Suite, Vista Suite, Oceania SuiteCruises 7 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant

Cruises 8-17 days: 2 reservations at each restaurant

Cruises 18 days or more: 3 reservations at each restaurant

Penthouse SuiteCruises 17 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant

On cruises 18 days or longer guests in suite categories (OS,VS, OC and PH) can make one additional reservation in each of the specialty restaurants. Concierge level and below will still be eligible for only 1 reservation per restaurant.

The extra reservation must be made for the final third of the cruise.

Was it always like this on O ships?

FWIW: On "extended voyages" (B2B with a single booking number), reservations have always needed to be split between the two segments. That said, the statement about "extra reservations" (even on a single long segment) being limited to the final third may be relatively new (I too just encountered it for several future cruise bookings).

Not a problem since you can usually readjust your bookings once onboard.

That's what it says on my booking page as well. However, we are on a B2B2B this month, one booking number. When restaurant reservations opened, we had 3 available reservations for each specialty.

That's what it says on my booking page as well. However, we are on a B2B2B this month, one booking number. When restaurant reservations opened, we had 3 available reservations for each specialty.

Yes, well that is a function of yours being 3 combined cruises each of which entitles you to one specialty visit to each restaurant. Nothing at all to do with your number of days on board.

Just returned from 28 days on Sirena. We found the Tuscan/Steak undesirable....,meat touch, lamb chops so tough it would take a cleaver to slice them. The asian restaurant was far superior... overall food this time was a total disappointment and aside from the fact that expensive items like lobster, large shrimp and exotic cheeses were plentiful. The cooking was what I have gotten on RCL. I am hoping it just the chef on this ship.

Yes, well that is a function of yours being 3 combined cruises each of which entitles you to one specialty visit to each restaurant. Nothing at all to do with your number of days on board.

The point I tried and failed to make was... yes... it gives you a schedule on the your booked cruise site of number of days to a cruise and the number of specialty reservations available. But that schedule only applies to the LEGS of a cruise, not necessarily the length of the booking you are viewing.

It's difficult for me to express clearly. Until the specialties booking date actually started, I thought that chart that appears on my booking superseded the number of legs. Then specialty restaurants opened for booking and I then figured out that it was, as I had originally thought. By the leg.

I give up trying to explain. My brain understands, even if my fingers can't convey.

The point I tried and failed to make was... yes... it gives you a schedule on the your booked cruise site of number of days to a cruise and the number of specialty reservations available. But that schedule only applies to the LEGS of a cruise, not necessarily the length of the booking you are viewing.

 

It's difficult for me to express clearly. Until the specialties booking date actually started, I thought that chart that appears on my booking superseded the number of legs. Then specialty restaurants opened for booking and I then figured out that it was, as I had originally thought. By the leg.

 

I give up trying to explain. My brain understands, even if my fingers can't convey.

I understood you but sometimes not all longer cruises are made up of shorter segments that could be sold as B2B or GV

Panama Canal cruises for instance are 16 or 18 days so then you can only pre book for those number of days in the chart

if that makes sense :halo:

Just returned from 28 days on Sirena. We found the Tuscan/Steak undesirable....,meat touch, lamb chops so tough it would take a cleaver to slice them. The asian restaurant was far superior... overall food this time was a total disappointment and aside from the fact that expensive items like lobster, large shrimp and exotic cheeses were plentiful. The cooking was what I have gotten on RCL. I am hoping it just the chef on this ship.

I think a lot of it has to do with who is doing the cooking

They have changed the demographics of the crew

it is not the same service above deck as when a lot of European crew were in the service areas

JMO

Firstforty2012 made similar comments about the food onboard Sirena on another thread, saying that only 10% of the food on that cruise tasted great. I believe that he/she was on the Athens to Miami cruise. I was also onboard the Sirena for that cruise. I had an entirely different experience with the food. I would say that 90% of the menu items taste great. We (four of us) did not experience tough meat, although that does happen at any restaurant. I hope he/she told the wait staff as they would have brought another dinner immediately. We thought that the food on the Sirena was the best we've had on any Oceania cruise (17 cruises total). I even spoke with several of the chefs and discussed the wonderful food on the Sirena. We all have different tastes and likes in food, so I wanted to provide another point of view.

I am a bit confused as to how many pre cruise reservations I can expect to be  able to make.

I  booked as a single booking Grand Voyage.

The grand voyage is also available as 2 separate cruises, both of which are over 17 days.

For my category it says 2 reservations for each restaurant. 

Does that mean 2  for the whole single booking GV, or 2 for each segment ?

Also, when it says the additional booking must be in the final third of the cruise, does the online booking system automatically know that when you book the additional one ?

Deleted:  Sorry...wrong post.

Once you're on board you can add reservations to restaurants if they have openings. We ate multiple times in Jacques because we loved it so much. We also ate twice in the Italian resto. Reservations can be made in the morning of the day you'd like to dine. There is a desk in the atrium, just stop in and see what's available.

22 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

I'm guessing it would be two reservations for the total cruise -- not each leg.  But  I'm guessing.  Don't forget, these are the GUARANTEED reservations.  That doesn't mean you can't get additional reservations once on board.

 

 

Also, when it says the additional booking must be in the final third of the cruise, does the online booking system automatically know that when you book the additional one ?

Usually you can get additional reservations once on board -- that depends on demand from other passengers, of course.  I don't think you need to worry about the "final third of the cruise" requirement.  We never have.

 

Mura

22 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

 

 

Thanks Mura.

Yes, that is my guess as well.

2 pre cruise reservations in total, as opposed to 2 per segment.

Is each segment 17 days? If so it's probably two per segment. To know for sure it would help to know your category. Also what is the "it says" you refer a couple times to? The Oceania website? Your Invoice? 

Yes, each segment is more than 17 days.

C category.

"It says" refers to the website when using mange my booking.

I think it's one per segment in each restaurant. 

looking at  the Reservation amounts  C cabins  get 1  reservation per restaurant

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005477653-How-many-dining-reservations-am-I-allowed-in-each-specialty-restaurant-

I am guessing it will be per segment  though

so 2 per restaurant per GV