Riviera main dining room

[emjayef]

We were on the Riviera in September 2012, when the ship was a few months old. Although the specialty restaurants were outstanding, the dining room was quite mediocre. Few menu choices and not very good food. Needless to say, there were battles every night to get into the specialty restaurants.

 

For those that have been on the Riviera lately, I'm wondering whether the dining room has been improved.

[edgee]

We were on Riviera a few months ago as well as in 2013. We found main dining room food to be between okay and good for dinner. We have never had a problem with service promptness or courtesy, except an occasional wait for attention from the wine steward. When we want a table for two we ask for one that is "secluded" and are placed along the windows. Seems that otherwise we get placed along two level railing area closest to the entrance with other diners immediately below us or above us...sort of awkard.

[hypercafe]

We were on board in March. Ate there 5 or 6 days out of 14. I rate food and service good to very good.

 

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[pthjudy]

We were on in February. It's not that the dining room food was bad, it's that the specialties were so outstanding that they made the dining room look subpar. The dining room choices were not fabulous either!

[Toranut97]

Our last two cruises were on Riviera and we loved the MDR. Ate most of our meals there. But everyone has their own opinions!

[JVNYC]

We spent 14 nights on Riviera in July and we had most of our dinners in the MDR. We enjoyed it! Found lots to choose from, in fact had a hard time choosing many nights. We were always given some of the nicest tables by the windows for 2 and sometimes 4 with friends. If I had to ask for something more than once I'm not too worried about it....I'm on vacation and happy to be sailing.

[jaxw17]

Just off yesterday and I thought it was very good as the OP said it is because the speciality ones are so good

[Floridiana]

Lots of choices and very good food in the main dining room of Riviera in December 2012 and January 2013. One evening, we had dinner at a table for six with a couple whose female part constantly complained. She couldn't get the dessert she craved, she wanted a different menu, passengers were not dressed up to her country club standard etc. If I ever sit next to somebody like that again, I might get up and leave.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Floridiana

[Toranut97]

Lots of choices and very good food in the main dining room of Riviera in December 2012 and January 2013. One evening, we had dinner at a table for six with a couple whose female part constantly complained. She couldn't get the dessert she craved, she wanted a different menu, passengers were not dressed up to her country club standard etc. If I ever sit next to somebody like that again, I might get up and leave.

 

That kind of thing has happened to us, also. My DH has a habit of slathering on the praise and compliments in response. Passive aggression at its best! LOL

[My & Mau]

We cruised last December on the Riviera, and will be going again this November. My DH and I enjoyed the many food options that Oceania offers;), and found the MDR to be our favorite place to have a leisurely, relaxing lunch with friends.

 

One of the things we noticed was that the MDR's ambience was quite different in the daylight than the evening...though both were fine for us...there was a special brightness and glow to the room in the early afternoon hours. We found the staff to be very gracious, and the choices more than adequate. One of our friends loves veggie choices as I do, and we had a lovely vegetable platters on several occasions. The food, the ambience, and the service were memorable for us.

 

Enjoy!

[StanandJim]

My DH has a habit of slathering on the praise and compliments in response. Passive aggression at its best! LOL

 

That is the Best!

[Toranut97]

That is the Best!

 

 

Where did you get that picture of my husband??? Lol

[Baybear]

That kind of thing has happened to us, also. My DH has a habit of slathering on the praise and compliments in response. Passive aggression at its best! LOL

 

Slathering praise on the complainer? Or on the ship?

[LHT28]

Lots of choices and very good food in the main dining room of Riviera in December 2012 and January 2013. One evening, we had dinner at a table for six with a couple whose female part constantly complained. She couldn't get the dessert she craved, she wanted a different menu, passengers were not dressed up to her country club standard etc. If I ever sit next to somebody like that again, I might get up and leave.

 

LOL

I would have have excused myself & went to the Terrace :D

[Toranut97]

On the ship! Sometimes by exclamations of delight to me; sometimes to the staff!

[Floridiana]

I will remember that excellent advice. Her husband got fed up as well and finally told her to stop.

[LHT28]

I will remember that excellent advice. Her husband got fed up as well and finally told her to stop.

 

Maybe she was from a luxury line where they are more POSH ;)

[canuck.qc]

Book your specialty dinning in advance, no "battles" to get in. Then alternate your meals. The Terrace is good after a long day of touring. The Grill is good for casual lunches, and the MDR is good for breakfasts before excursions, service is quick and good. It is good for between specialties. Any meal I do not have to cook myself is great IMO. Some like to be fussy thinking it is some kind of 'Chic' to complain.....really folks:confused:

[Caroldoll]

And one time with an officer. I rate it as not too good. Slow service and medium food. Sorry to say. We don't eat that much, but would rather go to one of the other restaurants and just get an appetizer. No way for a couple of hours for a lot of courses that are only OK. My opinion only.

[Toranut97]

What about an officer?

[CintiPam]

We enjoyed our dinners there very much on both our January and May cruises.

 

However, we also in May discovered the joys of the incredible Terrace Cafe grill at night with seafood galore and lovely grilled meats. Also if we ate there, we had more time to enjoy more after-dinner entertainment.

[hondorner]

Main dining Room is our favorite on all ships, especially on any Oceania ship. The Terrace on Oceania is too rambunctious for us. The service in the MDR is far better than the rat race in the Terrace. We eat most dinners and many breakfasts in the MDR. Betsy often prefers the Terrace at lunch; I far prefer Waves. We order what we like from our respective restaurants and then eat together.

 

The specialties are OK occasionally; they are very good (but no better than the MDR in my opinion), but the lack of variety in the menus gets boring.

 

The best part of Oceania is that all subjective opinions are met one way or another!

[pacheco18]

100 cruisers yields 200 opinions

 

We avoid the gdr for dinner

Food ok. Choices far more limited than terrace and we like to sample

Service excruciatingly slow unless you are invited to dine with an officer

 

Good thing we all prefer different venues or one of them would be too crowded. Lol

 

 

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[ronrick1943]

100 cruisers yields 200 opinions

 

We avoid the gdr for dinner

Food ok. Choices far more limited than terrace and we like to sample

Service excruciatingly slow unless you are invited to dine with an officer

 

Good thing we all prefer different venues or one of them would be too crowded. Lol

 

 

Agree 100%--it's all a matter of what you enjoy-not what someone else things you should enjoy.

Rick

[journeyfan]

Are there any nights when the menu in the MDR tends to be better or more extensive than others? For example, is there a special menu on the night of the Captain's Welcoming Party or on an at-sea day?