New to Oceania...help!

[richardukcruise]

We cruise regularly but have not sailed Oceania yet.

 

We plan to book a suite of some sort. Most likely a PH.

 

We tend to eat meals regularly on our balcony, therefore I have a fair few questions. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

1. Where can I locate a copy of the room service menu. I'm guessing there may be more than one with different items available at different times?

 

2. Is there a full breakfast room service menu and how do you go about requesting it on a daily basis? Is it just the door tags to fill in as usual?

 

3. Are there gluten free basics, such as bread and pasta available in the casual eatery and other restaurants? I don't like to have to order food the day before on holiday if possible.

 

4. From which dining venues can room service dinner be ordered?

 

5. I've looked for pictures of PH suite balconies and I can't see a table suitable for dinner. I find it hard to believe they would not provide one in these suites. What is the situation?

 

6. Could someone point me in the direction of some sample menus for the speciality restaurants.

 

FINALLY!................

 

What is Oceania's alcohol policy with regards to brining wine or spirits onboard at embarkation or whilst visiting ports?

 

Thanks.

Edited September 1, 2014 by richardukcruise

[Mura]

1. There is a copy of the room service menu in one of the books they provide in the cabin.

 

2. Just the door tags. You get a full breakfast in PH and above.

 

3. From everything I've read you'll have to order gluten-free ahead. (Or at least they will give you a menu to choose from in advance.) Since I'm not gluten free I don't know if they have basics readily available in the restaurants, but I suspect not.

 

 

4. GDR, Toscana, Polo (and also Jacques and Red Ginger on Marina and Riviera).

 

5. Which ship are you considering? If it's one of the smaller "R" ships, there really isn't room on the veranda to have a meal. I haven't been in a PH on Marina/Riviera yet but I'm guessing it might be possible there. The tables provided work for breakfast but maybe not for dinner.

 

6. I yield to the other experts on this score. You may find it at oceaniacruises.com, I'm just not sure where it would be.

 

7. No problem at all bringing on your own wine or spirits. Just don't overindulge! To take your own wine to the table (or a bar) will result in a corkage fee of $25. (No charge for consumption in your own room.)

 

Mura

[NC&KY]

6. I yield to the other experts on this score. You may find it at oceaniacruises.com, I'm just not sure where it would be.Mura

Well I'm certainly not an expert, but I know where these are. Go to http://www.oceaniacruises.com/ships/dining.aspx. You'll see a link for restaurants in the middle of the page, with a drop-down menu to pick your ship. Once you make your pick and hit "Go" you'll be sent to a page with all the ship restaurants listed. As you select each, you'll be given a link for sample menus.

[orchestrapal]

Richardukcruise, use the search function on the top of this page and you will find long threads on each of the questions you asked.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Although the PH suites on the larger ships have very nice balconies, I can't imagine actually being served a meal out there, at a table. They're not really set up that way. Nor is the table that could be used for a meal close to the balcony--so you can't just open the balcony doors and pretend.

[pacheco18]

Although the PH suites on the larger ships have very nice balconies, I can't imagine actually being served a meal out there, at a table. They're not really set up that way. Nor is the table that could be used for a meal close to the balcony--so you can't just open the balcony doors and pretend.

 

 

Agree. I don't think the phs are big enough to dine INSIDE the cabin unless u like using the bed as a sideboard. Cramped at best

 

If dining in your cabin is your thing, book a larger suite

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Mura]

True, Laraine. The Oceania, Vista and Owners' suites on Marina/Riviera and the Vista and Owners' suites on Regatta, Insignia and Nautica allow you to dine quite comfortably inside.

 

I remember breakfasting on the Regatta OS veranda the one time we were in such palatial digs.

 

Mura

[sailorgirl]

We always get a Penthouse and any room service, including dinner, has to be served at the rather smallish table at the end of the bed. As for dinner, since the butler serves it course by course, somehow they manage to make it work, using the dresser as a side table for any overflow. No table for dining of any sort on the balcony. In fact, I had to request a second tiny side table so each of our half-recliner chairs could have one. Of course, it was immediately taken care of. I'd have to say those are my only complaints about the lovely Penthouse suites.

 

I should add here that I only have experience so far on Riviera. Marina next Spring!

Edited September 9, 2014 by sailorgirl

[JPR]

The PHs on Marina and Riviera are essentially identical. We found the course by course butler service and table at the end of the bed to work just fine. We only do that once or twice, and particularly on the last night of the cruise when we're packing, we want to have our favorite specialty restaurant dishes again, and the GDR menu tends to be relatively mediocre. Eating a full meal on the verandah is not feasible, however.

 

There are plenty of gluten-free items on the menus.

Edited September 9, 2014 by JPR

[canuck.qc]

We cruise regularly but have not sailed Oceania yet.

 

We plan to book a suite of some sort. Most likely a PH.

 

We tend to eat meals regularly on our balcony, therefore I have a fair few questions. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

1. Where can I locate a copy of the room service menu. I'm guessing there may be more than one with different items available at different times?

 

2. Is there a full breakfast room service menu and how do you go about requesting it on a daily basis? Is it just the door tags to fill in as usual?

 

3. Are there gluten free basics, such as bread and pasta available in the casual eatery and other restaurants? I don't like to have to order food the day before on holiday if possible.

 

4. From which dining venues can room service dinner be ordered?

 

5. I've looked for pictures of PH suite balconies and I can't see a table suitable for dinner. I find it hard to believe they would not provide one in these suites. What is the situation?

 

6. Could someone point me in the direction of some sample menus for the speciality restaurants.

 

FINALLY!................

 

What is Oceania's alcohol policy with regards to brining wine or spirits onboard at embarkation or whilst visiting ports?

 

Thanks.

 

Answer to #6: very complete look at some of the dinning menus, take a look:

http://www.thepreismans.com/bermuda_regatta_menus.htm

Edited September 9, 2014 by canuck.qc

[bbwex]

You will find that the butlers make it work quite well. On the O class ships, they will use the table and chairs at the bottom of the bed. On the R class ships, they will seat you in the sitting area. On an O class trip, we had company for dinner, and they worked it out quite well. As for trying it on the balcony -- there is no way it would be comfortable, since it is narrow, but I would bet they could pull it off.

[StanandJim]

As for trying it on the balcony -- there is no way it would be comfortable, since it is narrow, but I would bet they could pull it off.

The Penthouse verandas on the R ships measure approximately 62 square feet.

Four adults might be able to manage canapes out there, -if sitting down isn't a priority- but we don't want to encourage false expectations...

Because those are fixed, rather than sliding glass doors, and only the panel on the far right opens, putting a dining table larger than this (with the white tablecloth) on that veranda would be impossible.

Edited September 10, 2014 by StanandJim

[pacheco18]

Four for tapas is fine

Four for "dining" is just not doable IMO

[jakes47]

Four for tapas is fine

Four for "dining" is just not doable IMO

 

Thanks for the tapas tip. Oceania doesn’t do them as such but I never do more than 2 appetizers as my meal and the idea of a section of tapas for in room dinning is very appealing.

 

While the Ph suites are roomier than the Veranda Staterooms – they are not huge and I just cant imagine dining in that space. Small plates would be doable but the table at the end of the bed was not big and there is no view …..unless you are feeling romantically inclined. ;)

[pacheco18]

Thanks for the tapas tip. Oceania doesn’t do them as such but I never do more than 2 appetizers as my meal and the idea of a section of tapas for in room dinning is very appealing.

 

While the Ph suites are roomier than the Veranda Staterooms – they are not huge and I just cant imagine dining in that space. Small plates would be doable but the table at the end of the bed was not big and there is no view …..unless you are feeling romantically inclined. ;)

 

If you have a butler, he can make tapas happen.

 

I was using tapas as an example. My point was that anything but a small plate on that table is too big -- not just for 4 but for 2. If you want to have comfortable in suite dining experience for 2 or for 4, you need to book one of the larger suites. The PHs are just too small.

[sailorgirl]

We (only two) dine in our "O" Penthouse only when we can't get a desired reservation in one of the specialty restaurants. As stated, it's a bit cramped but also being seated at the end of our bed feels odd. However, it is what it is.

[pacheco18]

We (only two) dine in our "O" Penthouse only when we can't get a desired reservation in one of the specialty restaurants. As stated, it's a bit cramped but also being seated at the end of our bed feels odd. However, it is what it is.

 

Exactly my point

 

The OP states he "tends to eat meals regularly on his balcony."

For someone who looks forward to in suite dining as a highlight of cruising, a PH is not a good choice -- on R ships or O ships.

 

For the rest of us who are ok with "cramped" and uncomfortable, we manage. LOL

[StanandJim]

The OP states he "tends to eat meals regularly on his balcony."

For someone who looks forward to in suite dining as a highlight of cruising, a PH is not a good choice -- on R ships or O ships.

 

+1

Unless one can snag one of the extended Veranda Penthouses, but those are very limited in number and are only found on the Marina and the Riviera.