Specialty Dining reservation rules

[naxos]

Trying to make reservations for an upcoming 30 day cruise and have been told that half of my reservations must be be for the last third of the cruise. Oceania agent says that is the 'Rule". Aside from the rules applying to when advance online reservations can be made, I cannot find any rule on the O site which addresses this issue.

 

Any help here?

[Jancruz]

Trying to make reservations for an upcoming 30 day cruise and have been told that half of my reservations must be be for the last third of the cruise. Oceania agent says that is the 'Rule". Aside from the rules applying to when advance online reservations can be made, I cannot find any rule on the O site which addresses this issue.

 

Any help here?

 

Call another agent!

Jancruz1

[RetiredFL]

Make them on line, on the web site.

[naxos]

Thanks all-- I was quite skeptical.

[Mura]

You were right to be skeptical. I've never heard of such a rule either.

 

But as has been said, you don't need your agent to make the reservations.

[wripro]

It's mind boggling what some agents will say just to get you off the phone.

[RetiredFL]

You also need to complete the Guest Registration form on line if you have not already done so.

[naxos]

Thanks for the reminder- I had already filled out the registration and I had called O about their yellow vaccination requirement and waiver and foolishly asked about dining options and was emphatically told the "rule" about how the reservations must be distributed. It seems to me that if I want to spend my first week onboard using all my dining chits, I should be allowed to do so???

[Wildblue]

Aha! This thread actually explains a lot. When I made my specialty restaraunt reservations online, availability was wide open. We're in Concierge class, 18 day sailing, so that means 3 reservations in each of Insignia's 2 restaurants. As I got to the 3rd reservation for each restaurant, suddenly half of the cruise was completely unavailable. For the 1st restaurant, it blacked out the 1st half, which was fine, because I wanted my 3rd reservation there to be in the 2nd half. For the 2nd restaurant, it blacked out the 2nd half of the cruise, which I wanted, so I had to pick a date I didn't want in the 1st half. I then called O, and the rep told me the reason was that we were trying to get reservations for only 2, and all those tables only for 2 were suddenly all booked up. This didn't sound right to me, as I was making the reservations on the first day I was able to do so, and as I mentioned, they were wide open when I started.

 

If nothing else, I figure I got 5 out of 6 reservations exactly as I wanted, and if we really want that 6th one after all, we'll just ask when we get onboard.

[YoHoHo]

Thanks for the reminder- I had already filled out the registration and I had called O about their yellow vaccination requirement and waiver and foolishly asked about dining options and was emphatically told the "rule" about how the reservations must be distributed. It seems to me that if I want to spend my first week onboard using all my dining chits, I should be allowed to do so???

*IF* your 30 day cruise is comprised of several b2bs then fellow pax who are on board only the first 10 days would have a hard time getting a reservation if those on b2b booked all their reservations in the first leg and none in the second, or possibly, the third leg as well. An extreme example but that could be the reasoning behind the secret 'rule'

[LHT28]

Just a thought

They probably hold back some seats for those that cannot book until 45 days out & ones that do not book online but wait until they board

Very similar to the airlines that release seats a few at a time

 

Lyn

[wripro]

They do not have all the inventory of reservations available fro booking precruise. I think they hold back some to be booked onboard.

[rallydave]

Just a thought

They probably hold back some seats for those that cannot book until 45 days out & ones that do not book online but wait until they board

Very similar to the airlines that release seats a few at a time

 

Lyn

 

Really don't think your comparison to airlines makes any sense. True, the ship hold back capacity for late bookers as well as people without the ability to book on line.

 

Am sure the airlines don't hold back any seats. If you are willing to pay for every seat on a flight, they would love it. However, don't think you would get the early discount rate. Think what you are referring to is there are a limited number of seats at lower prices so in essence they are only allowing so many seats at specific fares but, all seats are for sale at any time. The airlines simply want to sell seats while Oceania needs to hold seats until everyone gets their promised reservations.

[LHT28]

Really don't think your comparison to airlines makes any sense. True, the ship hold back capacity for late bookers as well as people without the ability to book on line.

 

I was referring to the fact the airlines will release blocks of seats at certain times.

Some are held by groups or cruise lines & if not sold by the contracted date they will release them.

Of course they want to sell all the seats on the plane :rolleyes:

 

Some conventions groups we had a block of seats on specific airline at a certain price until a certain date

If all the seats were not sold by that date they were released back to public offering.

 

I am sure Oceania does the same with their "FREE AIR"

[sitraveler]

Nothing is ever simple.

 

The restaurant reservation form defaults to "no share" each time.

There may be slots open for the other category every time you make a reservation. On board there may be space available anyway.

 

It was a pleasant surprise to have 4 slots on our 18 day TA, even in steerage.

[potterhill]

Just returned from Sept 19 Sands of Time, 12 days. Regular balcony cabin. Ate in specialty restaurants 9 nights, once in La Reserve, once on patio and one night I wasn't feeling well and had soup and sand from room service. We had 4 booked ahead before we left home and just went to Red Ginger and asked. Some days in am some days when returning from tours.

 

The lady who was taking reservations said they try to keep the extra restaurants full to keep the pressure off the GDR. That said, a couple of nights when they told friends of ours they were full, the restaurants remained mostly empty. Go figure.

 

Mo

[rln44]

Just got our cruise brochure for the 30 day Dubai to Capetown cruise. To quote: "Your Veranda Stateroom entitles you to a maximum of one dining experience in each specialty restaurant." Really?! two nights on a 30 day cruise! I guess we'll be getting very familiar with the Grand Dining room.

[JimandStan]

Just got our cruise brochure for the 30 day Dubai to Capetown cruise. To quote: "Your Veranda Stateroom entitles you to a maximum of one dining experience in each specialty restaurant." Really?! two nights on a 30 day cruise! I guess we'll be getting very familiar with the Grand Dining room.

 

Because the Specialty Restaurant menues don't change, you will find that after the initial rush to get into them, demand will slow considerably.

 

When that happens, the Restaurant Captains walk around the ship inviting passengers to make additional reservations.

 

Longer cruises DO have their benefits.... :D

[Mura]

As you can see from earlier posts, many people have far more opportunities for the specialty restaurants than the minimum they are entitled to.

 

I think that will be your situation as well. Not everyone lines up for the specialty restaurants.

 

You just won't be able to pre-reserve more than one each is all.

[YoHoHo]

Just got our cruise brochure for the 30 day Dubai to Capetown cruise. To quote: "Your Veranda Stateroom entitles you to a maximum of one dining experience in each specialty restaurant." Really?! two nights on a 30 day cruise! I guess we'll be getting very familiar with the Grand Dining room.

You don't say which brochure you are referring to (vs. the Cuise Documents in the blue cover you receive once paid in full) but if it is just brochure the statement could well be a general remark for a 'typical' 10-17 day cruise and not your specific 30 day cruise that would be covered in the Cruise Docs.

 

My TA has forwarded me from O 'Private dining reservation rules" for my upcoming 16 day R ship cruise:

 

"Number of reservations:

 

Owner's Suite, Vista Suite, Penthouse Suite and Concierge Level Veranda

10-17 Sailing Days: 2 reservations at each restaurant

18+ Sailing Days: 3 reservations at each restaurant

 

Veranda, Ocean View and Inside Stateroom

10-17 Sailing Days: 1 reservations at each restaurant

18+ Sailing Days: 2 reservations at each restaurant

 

Marina Reservations: Oceania, Owner’s and Vista suites are eligible for 2 reservations per specialty restaurant. Penthouse Suites and below are eligible for 1 reservation per specialty restaurant."

 

That is the minimum what your are guaranteed to have. You could well get additional seatings especially on such a long trip as others have said.

[LHT28]

Just got our cruise brochure for the 30 day Dubai to Capetown cruise. To quote: "Your Veranda Stateroom entitles you to a maximum of one dining experience in each specialty restaurant." Really?! two nights on a 30 day cruise! I guess we'll be getting very familiar with the Grand Dining room.

You can always check if space is available for more seatings

Just ask at the desk at The Terrace in the morning, if you share & are flexible with times you probably have a good chance of more

 

Lyn

[rln44]

An update to my previous post. When I went online to Oceania I was allowed to make two reservations for each alternative restaurant which I immediately did. Not sure why there was a discrepancy between the original info in my cruise pkg and Oceania's online site.

[charleylake]

I saw that you mentioned asking for reservations in the Terrace! When we were on the Marina there was a separate desk for dining reservations in reception. Where would you ask in the Terrace? We were in a PH and had no luck including the butler??

[Paulchili]

I saw that you mentioned asking for reservations in the Terrace! When we were on the Marina there was a separate desk for dining reservations in reception. Where would you ask in the Terrace? We were in a PH and had no luck including the butler??

 

The Terrace is the place for extra reservations (same day only) on the R ships.

Marina had a desk for this in the reception area and reservations could be requested for a few days in advance as well as same day (at least when we were on the Marina). For the PHs it is best to ask the buttler (or dine in suite, if so desired when extra reservations are not available).

[LHT28]

I saw that you mentioned asking for reservations in the Terrace! When we were on the Marina there was a separate desk for dining reservations in reception. Where would you ask in the Terrace?

 

I should have specified

Paul is correct

R-ships ask in the Terrace

O-class ships ask on desk 5 at the dining reservations desk