ricki Posted January 30, 2012 #1 Share Posted January 30, 2012 We have a TA who has been less than helpful, so I turn to you for an answer to a, seemingly, obvious question. What are the options for dining in the main dining room? Is it fixed seating or open seating. Are there early and late seatings? Can we request a table for 8? Thank you, I know I'll get a quicker and more thorough response. Ricki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeffjb Posted January 30, 2012 #2 Share Posted January 30, 2012 The main dining room is open seating. There are tables for 8 available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted January 30, 2012 #3 Share Posted January 30, 2012 It sounds like your TA is not very knowledgeable about Oceania! You might want to consider using someone else (assuming you decide to return to Oceania) in the future. As has been said, you won't have a problem in the MDR. You do need reservations in the specialty restaurants, but not in the MDR. However, with a group of 8 you might want to check with the maitre d' ahead of time anyway. They might have all of those tables filled with people who've said they want to share, for example. Whenever we've been at a table for 8 it has been in that circumstance -- four couples who arrived at around the same time and asked to share. Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aruba Posted January 30, 2012 #4 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Ricki, you and I will be able to talk about this in person in a couple of weeks! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricki Posted January 30, 2012 Author #5 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Ricki, you and I will be able to talk about this in person in a couple of weeks! :) We're looking forward to it! You can fill us in in detail! See you soon! Ricki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricki Posted January 30, 2012 Author #6 Share Posted January 30, 2012 It sounds like your TA is not very knowledgeable about Oceania! You might want to consider using someone else (assuming you decide to return to Oceania) in the future. As has been said, you won't have a problem in the MDR. You do need reservations in the specialty restaurants, but not in the MDR. However, with a group of 8 you might want to check with the maitre d' ahead of time anyway. They might have all of those tables filled with people who've said they want to share, for example. Whenever we've been at a table for 8 it has been in that circumstance -- four couples who arrived at around the same time and asked to share. Mura Thank you, Mura, I don't know how uninformed she is, or just not very responsive and forth-coming. Ricki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted January 30, 2012 #7 Share Posted January 30, 2012 It's true, Ricki, that it could be either reason. Or both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted January 30, 2012 #8 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Unresponsive is even worse than uninformed imo for a TA. Find one who is both. And Mura is right on the money when she suggests you let the maitre d' know in advance when you will be needing a table for 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted January 30, 2012 #9 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Unresponsive is even worse than uninformed imo for a TA. Find one who is both. And Mura is right on the money when she suggests you let the maitre d' know in advance when you will be needing a table for 8. Coincidentally, we once sailed with a group of 8 College friends, and knew that we would be wanting to dine together each night that we weren't in a Specialty. At first the Dining Room Staff was very cool to our suggestion of a "standing" reservation, but very soon they were automatically leading us to "our" table. They never would admit that they were saving it for us, but we always got the same one. I suppose that because larger groups are not the norm, larger tables in the dining room are generally available, even when the Dining Room is quite busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceans&Rivers Posted January 30, 2012 #10 Share Posted January 30, 2012 We have a TA who has been less than helpful, so I turn to you for an answer to a, seemingly, obvious question. What are the options for dining in the main dining room? Is it fixed seating or open seating. Are there early and late seatings? Can we request a table for 8? Thank you, I know I'll get a quicker and more thorough response. Ricki Hi Ricki. At Oceania's website, there is a page called "Explore Ships—Dining" http://www.oceaniacruises.com/ships/dining.aspx In the left-hand column you will see several choices, one of which is "Open Seating Restaurants", which states (for all ships): "Each restaurant's liberating, open-seating policy awards you the freedom to dine whenever, wherever and with whomever you wish." Many people make advance restaurants for specialty restaurants, but the Grand Dining Room is truly open seating, notwithstanding some special arrangements which some people have occasionally made. Open seating is the policy of all of the restaurants on the ships, not just the Grand Dining Room, by the way. If there were a poll here on the Oceania board, open seating would win resoundingly as a favorite by Oceania cruisers. I hope you have a lovely cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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