When do the cooking classes open up for bookings?

[vlthom]

We will be sailing on the Marina this spring. I'm wondering when the cooking classes are open for sign-up?

[LHT28]

Already booked ours the May cruise so check under Already Booked section of the website for your cruise

 

Lyn

[YoHoHo]

As Lyn advises check your cruise details in the Already Booked section. If you see it make up you mind & purchase it quickly. But if you do not see one available, and might have to hunt through the offerings to be certain, don't just assume there will be none.

 

They might be adding a new one or changing an old one so not yet available and could suddenly appear later. Happened to us. We reviewed several times, assumed none was offered for our sailing and went ahead making our other plans. Sometime later I was reviewing their offerings and there was now a culinary excursion - having previously enjoyed a culinary class this something we very much wanted to do. It sold out as we were trying to book it - someone else filled in their CC info faster then me.

 

We checked with O, and on-board, the Chef and Destinations desk. As advised we showed up in the Lounge (excursion staging area) very early before the meeting time just in case there was a no-show. Apparently it does happen and it did! One slot and there was two of us. Another pax had also showed at virtually the same time also hoping for a last minute opening so it was natural that she would go ahead.

 

Bottom line is these are very popular and you may have to be proactive to get on.

[JimandStan]

More specifically, the Cooking Classes are generally added to the schedule just as soon as the Instructors are signed on for that voyage.

 

If the Passenger has set up an account in the "Already Booked" section of the Web-site, then all of the "for a fee" options for the voyage, such as La Reserve Reservations, Privée reservations and the Cooking Classes should appear immediately (unless one is booking so far out, that the Staff has not been engaged yet).

 

Similarly, the various Shore Excursions which are being offered may be accessed through the "Already Booked" page, at the time when Oceania finalizes the contracts with the Tour Personnel, which is typically twelve to fifteen months out.

[LHT28]

Just be sure to check under the Excursions for the Culinary Tours not under the Cooking classes

[vlthom]

Based upon your advice, I would expect that the classes would already be scheduled for our April sailing; however, the website indicates that "Bon Appetit Culinary Classes are unavailable at this time." I've been checking under "already booked" for months now, with the same result. This seems to indicate that none are planned during our sailing. Are there ever sailings without any scheduled cooking classes? I truly enjoyed the classes that we took during our earlier voyage on Marina.

[LHT28]

Maybe call Oceania tomorrow & ask

I would not think that classes would not be offered on any cruise ..

 

Lyn

[Lady Meer]

We will be sailing on the Marina this spring. I'm wondering when the cooking classes are open for sign-up?

 

Hi - I think you're on Islands and Incas on 19 April 2014 with us. I know some on the roll call booked cooking classes some time ago.

 

As Lyn suggested I think you should call Oceania.

 

Brenda

[ronrick1943]

Also keep checking because the seem to add addition classes after the first few are listed.

We booked two classes then a few weeks later they added more.

Rick

[Hawaiidan]

Hi - I think you're on Islands and Incas on 19 April 2014 with us. I know some on the roll call booked cooking classes some time ago.

 

As Lyn suggested I think you should call Oceania.

 

Brenda

 

SINCE I AM ON THE SAME CRUISE....AND NOTHING HAD BEEN OFFERED 144 DAYS OUT I question the information! By the way I am on the 33 day.... so if anything there might have been, earlier options for longer cruiser folks. Nothing I can find for any option on that series..... are you Shure:o?

[Lady Meer]

SINCE I AM ON THE SAME CRUISE....AND NOTHING HAD BEEN OFFERED 144 DAYS OUT I question the information! By the way I am on the 33 day.... so if anything there might have been, earlier options for longer cruiser folks. Nothing I can find for any option on that series..... are you Shure:o?

 

DEFINITELY CORRECT. Today there are 14 different classes offered on different dates and times - all listed on the Already Booked section on the website.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Lady Meer

[vlthom]

The Oceania customer service agent that I spoke with this morning stated that the culinary courses for our April cruise would not be available for booking until 90 days prior to our sail date. He had no information beyond that, unfortunately. I don't believe that this is always how things work. For our prior cruise on the Marina, I booked our classes long before the final payment was even required; however, that was the inaugural season for Marina, so perhaps the process has changed now.

[Lady Meer]

The Oceania customer service agent that I spoke with this morning stated that the culinary courses for our April cruise would not be available for booking until 90 days prior to our sail date. He had no information beyond that, unfortunately. I don't believe that this is always how things work. For our prior cruise on the Marina, I booked our classes long before the final payment was even required; however, that was the inaugural season for Marina, so perhaps the process has changed now.

 

They are definitely there for us to book - including dates, times and details of each session. I haven't booked any as I'm not interested in cooking. I tried to copy the list and paste it but it went horribly wrong :eek:. Maybe you could try asking on the roll call to see who has booked.

 

 

 

 

View Details

[vlthom]

I find it very odd that you're able to enroll in the classes while I'm unable to do so online and was also told that they aren't available yet. :confused: Could this perhaps be a difference between the US and UK websites? I may try calling Oceania again later to see if I receive a different answer from a different agent. I will say too, that the agent wanted to know our booking number before he'd provide an answer to my generic question, almost implying that the ability to book or not would be dependent upon one's particulars.

[Hawaiidan]

:I checked again...and I am paid in full.....nothing..zip... cant book any thing for any price !!!

 

I am going to complain... BIG TIME. No one should be getting this

 

How many do you claim have booked? This is breach of contract and a legal issue out of bounds of the contract I have booked

 

.If this is hows the run things... I want my monies back with interest and cancel the cruise WITHOUT DELAY

 

I AM NOT JUST MAD I AM FURIOUS:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mjflowers]

:I checked again...and I am paid in full.....nothing..zip... cant book any thing for any price !!!

 

I am going to complain... BIG TIME. No one should be getting this

 

How many do you claim have booked? This is breach of contract and a legal issue out of bounds of the contract I have booked

 

.If this is hows the run things... I want my monies back with interest and cancel the cruise WITHOUT DELAY

 

I AM NOT JUST MAD I AM FURIOUS:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Cancel? I think it is time it litigate. The little guy always comes out in the end:rolleyes:

[vlthom]

My travel agent is now trying to find out what's going on with this situation. She was initially given the same information that I received when contacting their customer service (e.g. can't book the classes until 90 days prior to sail date). She's looking into it from another angle now; however it may be after Thanksgiving before I hear back.

[JimandStan]

She was initially given the same information that I received when contacting their customer service (e.g. can't book the classes until 90 days prior to sail date)

 

Iif you are bookied into the type of accommodations for which Restaurant Reservations are listed at 90 days out, then you should be aware that the 90 day figure can be fluid.

You will have access to the entire system as soon as you've made final payment.

[vlthom]

Iif you are bookied into the type of accommodations for which Restaurant Reservations are listed at 90 days out, then you should be aware that the 90 day figure can be fluid.

You will have access to the entire system as soon as you've made final payment.

 

My final payment was made nearly a month ago, so this cannot be the reason why I'm unable to book the culinary classes.

 

As a side note, I received an email from Customer Service reiterating their policy that one cannot book culinary classes earlier than 90 days out from sail date.

[LHT28]

My travel agent is now trying to find out what's going on with this situation. She was initially given the same information that I received when contacting their customer service (e.g. can't book the classes until 90 days prior to sail date). She's looking into it from another angle now; however it may be after Thanksgiving before I hear back.

 

Very odd indeed

We can book our May/June cruise classes... I did mine last month

 

Just wondering where you are looking

 

This is where I checked

Already booked >you should see your cruise listed there if not you need to add it by the booking number etc..

Then you see the "add Culinary classes " link

under the onboard options your will see Bon Appétit Culinary Classes

 

Then you should see the classes listed

under the class title click on view details

It should show the details price & if there is space it will have the names of you & your travelmate

if you want the class click on ADD

Then it will go to reserve

then just keep following the link to make your paymentnot sure why you cannot book them if others on your cruise have done soGood luck

 

Lyn

[LHT28]

As a side note, I received an email from Customer Service reiterating their policy that one cannot book culinary classes earlier than 90 days out from sail date.

They are wrong again

I booked in Oct for our May cruise

You cannot book restaurant reservations but excursions & cooking classes you can

 

I do wish they would get the res agents a good instruction manual to follow ;)

[vlthom]

Very odd indeed

We can book our May/June cruise classes... I did mine last month

 

Just wondering where you are looking

 

This is where I checked

Already booked >you should see your cruise listed there if not you need to add it by the booking number etc..

Then you see the "add Culinary classes " link

under the onboard options your will see Bon Appétit Culinary Classes

 

Then you should see the classes listed

under the class title click on view details

It should show the details price & if there is space it will have the names of you & your travelmate

if you want the class click on ADD

Then it will go to reserve

then just keep following the link to make your paymentnot sure why you cannot book them if others on your cruise have done soGood luck

 

Lyn

 

I'm checking in this exact location....with no results. Further, Customer Service claims that they checked my booking and agreed with me that I cannot book any classes yet. They state that none have been loaded to the system which based upon what others in my rollcall have stated, is false for at least some of the folks. :confused:

[LHT28]

I'm checking in this exact location....with no results. Further, Customer Service claims that they checked my booking and agreed with me that I cannot book any classes yet. They state that none have been loaded to the system which based upon what others in my rollcall have stated, is false for at least some of the folks. :confused:

Very strange indeed

 

Lyn

[vlthom]

Very strange indeed

 

Lyn

 

Interestingly, despite multiple reps from Oceania telling me that the classes won't be available for booking prior to 90 days ahead of our sail date, as of this afternoon, they are now available online. I was also told that I might find something online at the 120 day mark (Dec 6th) but definitely not prior to that date. They also asserted that those on Cruise Critic who had booked classes already were wrong (!?!)

 

Oh well....case closed!

[LHT28]

Interestingly, despite multiple reps from Oceania telling me that the classes won't be available for booking prior to 90 days ahead of our sail date, as of this afternoon, they are now available online. I was also told that I might find something online at the 120 day mark (Dec 6th) but definitely not prior to that date. They also asserted that those on Cruise Critic who had booked classes already were wrong (!?!)

 

Oh well....case closed!

Glad you can now view & book the classes

I have said this many times before

The res agents are wrong in many things they say

 

Either they make up things because they do not know where to find the answers or they are not trained properly

I imagine they have a high turn over in those jobs...just guessing there

 

Lyn