Help! Confused about booking restaurants and shore excursions on O site

[Leejnd4]

Hi,

 

This is my first O cruise, so please forgive me if I'm missing something obvious!

 

I'm booked on the Jan. 3rd Sands & Shores 10-day Caribbean cruise on Riviera. We're now past final payment, and are trying to book our excursions and restaurant reservations.

 

There are three of us in the cabin (this is a girl's trip - we're leaving the husbands home!) so each of us will want to pay for our own stuff.

 

Only two of us want to book La Riserva, and we also have some different excursions we want to book. So on the O site I selected two of us for the La Riserva night that we want, and I selected the excursions that I want.

 

However, it appears that they are not actually reserved until you pay for them! When I look at the booking, it shows that I have 0 reservations! To see what I selected, I have to click "view cart", and it wants me to pay for them.

 

I'm confused. I've never been on a cruiseline before that asks me to pay up front for excursions and/or specialty restaurants. If that's what O wants, that's a complication because I don't want to pay for the others anyway, only mine!

 

Can't we book these reservations without pre-paying?

 

Meanwhile, I also want to select our nights for the free specialty restaurants. I'm on the tab for Dining, and I can see a link that says my cabin type (Veranda)...but when I click that link, nothing happens. How do I make these reservations?

 

Again I apologize if I'm being dense and missing something obvious, but this has me very perplexed. I'm also concerned about not getting into the La Reserve dinner that we want because this is taking so long! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[dundeene]

Hi

There are more experienced O folks out there but I will try to help.

Yes you do need to prepay for Le Reserve. We have found it to be full if we try to book after boarding.

Le Reserve is not a specialty restaurant (which are indeed free on Oceania)

It is more of a dining/wine experience. Very over the top quality food and wine pairings with each course. Plan about 2 1/2 hrs for this special evening.

Not to be missed in my opinion.

 

Veranda can book specialty restaurants 60 days pre-cruise. You are not in the booking window for your cruise yet. When booking is available for veranda level guests the link will take you to a calendar with available evening hi-lighted.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Hi,

 

 

 

This is my first O cruise, so please forgive me if I'm missing something obvious!

 

 

 

I'm booked on the Jan. 3rd Sands & Shores 10-day Caribbean cruise on Riviera. We're now past final payment, and are trying to book our excursions and restaurant reservations.

 

 

 

There are three of us in the cabin (this is a girl's trip - we're leaving the husbands home!) so each of us will want to pay for our own stuff.

 

 

 

Only two of us want to book La Riserva, and we also have some different excursions we want to book. So on the O site I selected two of us for the La Riserva night that we want, and I selected the excursions that I want.

 

 

 

However, it appears that they are not actually reserved until you pay for them! When I look at the booking, it shows that I have 0 reservations! To see what I selected, I have to click "view cart", and it wants me to pay for them.

 

 

 

I'm confused. I've never been on a cruiseline before that asks me to pay up front for excursions and/or specialty restaurants. If that's what O wants, that's a complication because I don't want to pay for the others anyway, only mine!

 

 

 

Can't we book these reservations without pre-paying?

 

 

 

Meanwhile, I also want to select our nights for the free specialty restaurants. I'm on the tab for Dining, and I can see a link that says my cabin type (Veranda)...but when I click that link, nothing happens. How do I make these reservations?

 

 

 

Again I apologize if I'm being dense and missing something obvious, but this has me very perplexed. I'm also concerned about not getting into the La Reserve dinner that we want because this is taking so long! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

You're not being "dense." But, you are correct that you pay for O excursions upfront. Of course, you can cancel with refund later (see website for details). Makes sense for O's planning with tour providers.

It is too bad though that pre-cruise purchases can't use any OBC you may have.

[Paulchili]

You have to prepay your shore excursions and La Reserve reservations ahead of time. This can be done by every person in your group for themselves and each will pay only for themselves.

For dining reservations - as your arrangements are somewhat complicated, it's best to call your TA or Oceania directly to make these arrangements. Chose your nights and add your friends to your reservation - you will need their booking #

I hope this helps.

PS Cross-posting with others :)

Edited October 12, 2015 by Paulchili

[LHT28]

Yes on Oceania if you want to book La Reserve & excursions you must pay at the time of booking

 

If you do not want it all on your tab before the cruise I would suggest calling Oceania or your TA & book direct ... that way you can all give your respective CC

 

As for the specialties you can book them when your time frame opens up

I think you mentioned your in a B cabin so that will be 45 days from the cruise

Agian if you are not all wanting eat at the same restaurant on the night I would call Oceania or your TA & book that way

 

sorry others were typing at the same time ;)

Edited October 12, 2015 by LHT28

[Leejnd4]

Ohhh...right, I totally forgot about the 45-day window for the regular specialty restaurants. DOH! I'm not in the window for that yet. :o It's all coming back to me now. I'll be patient. :)

 

Regarding La Reserve...yes I'm aware what it is, and I can't wait! I did a similar dining/wine pairing experience on Crystal called the Vintage Room, and it was one of the best nights on the cruise. After reading the three available La Reserve menus on our cruise we want to splurge and do the Connoisseur menu, which has some incredible wines on the list that I am dying to try. Just knowing the cost of a few of those wines by the bottle, it sounds like a great value!

 

Anyway, I'm disappointed that we have to pay upfront, but I suppose that's how they ensure that people don't cancel at the last minute, given that they have to pre-plan for the food/wine needs. So I'm okay with it. I'll go ahead and book and pay for myself and Sandy, and she can pay me back.

 

As for shore excursions...that one still has me baffled. I've never been on any cruise line that expects you to pre-pay shore excursions...I've always paid for them through my shipboard account at the end of the cruise. If that's what we have to do, then I may need to have a pow-wow with my friends to figure out how to do this. Ugh. Does anyone else find this pre-paying for shore excursions to be annoying?

[dundeene]

LeeAnn

If you are in one of the extended balcony verandas I believe you are a B3 rather than Concierge Veranda which makes the specialty booking date open at 45 days rather than 60.

sorry about this error in my previous post.

[Leejnd4]

You have to prepay your shore excursions and La Reserve reservations ahead of time. This can be done by every person in your group for themselves and each will pay only for themselves.

For dining reservations - as your arrangements are somewhat complicated, it's best to call your TA or Oceania directly to make these arrangements. Chose your nights and add your friends to your reservation - you will need their booking #

I hope this helps.

PS Cross-posting with others :)

 

Hi Paul,

 

We're all in the same cabin! That's why this is complicated...I'm not seeing the option of separating out who pays for what. The cart shows all of the selections for each of us.

[LHT28]

Unless they are a special shorex like going to Russian ports or one that will be very popular I would wait & book onboard

I cannot remember where you were sailing

 

Maybe look for DIY or private excursions in some ports

 

You know what works for you ;)

[Leejnd4]

You're not being "dense."

 

Thanks! I did so much reading in advance about this cruise, I can't believe I missed this little tidbit about having to pre-pay for pretty much everything.

 

But, you are correct that you pay for O excursions upfront. Of course, you can cancel with refund later (see website for details). Makes sense for O's planning with tour providers.

It is too bad though that pre-cruise purchases can't use any OBC you may have.

 

YES...that is a HUGE problem, as we have a nice chunk of OBC! How in the heck are we supposed to use it? We can't use it for any of the high-ticket items we want to purchase (e.g. shore excursions, La Reserve, Bev package)...so what on earth are we to DO with it? :confused:

[LHT28]

Hi Paul,

 

We're all in the same cabin! That's why this is complicated...I'm not seeing the option of separating out who pays for what. The cart shows all of the selections for each of us.

just call O & maybe have your friends with you so everyone can give their own CC number

[Leejnd4]

Unless they are a special shorex like going to Russian ports or one that will be very popular I would wait & book onboard

I cannot remember where you were sailing

 

Maybe look for DIY or private excursions in some ports

 

You know what works for you ;)

 

Actually most of what we're doing will be private excursions...but there are a couple of O excursions we want to do. I'm going to be scuba diving at 5 of the 8 port stops (all with private dive operators, not through the ship), but my friends may want to do other excursions...we are still evaluating options.

 

If I'm reading this correctly, you're saying that it's unlikely that the basic excursions are going to fill up pre-cruise, in which case we should just wait to book onboard. If we do that, I'm assuming we'll be able to use our OBC?

 

Sorry for all the questions, and THANK YOU THANK YOU for all your help! I just booked and paid for La Reserve, so I'm relieved we got in there. I was afraid it would fill up, and I did NOT want to miss that!

[bitob]

Thanks! I did so much reading in advance about this cruise, I can't believe I missed this little tidbit about having to pre-pay for pretty much everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YES...that is a HUGE problem, as we have a nice chunk of OBC! How in the heck are we supposed to use it? We can't use it for any of the high-ticket items we want to purchase (e.g. shore excursions, La Reserve, Bev package)...so what on earth are we to DO with it? :confused:

 

 

Spa

Drinks

Shops

Internet

[Leejnd4]

just call O & maybe have your friends with you so everyone can give their own CC number

 

Yep, that sounds like the best way to do it. Trying to coordinate doing it on the website sounds confusing. We live very far from each other - I'm in California, Sandy is in Costa Rica, Char is in Florida...but we'll work it out.

 

Now that I have La Reserve secured, and it sounds as if the other excursions are unlikely to fill up pre-cruise, I'm thinking we may just wait until we're onboard before we book anything else. Hopefully we'll get what we want, and get to use up our OBC.

[LHT28]

If I'm reading this correctly, you're saying that it's unlikely that the basic excursions are going to fill up pre-cruise, in which case we should just wait to book onboard. If we do that, I'm assuming we'll be able to use our OBC?

 

Yes if you book onboard they will use your OBC

some Shorex tours can get cancelled for lack of interest

Go the first day & each of you fill in the form for the excursion you want

Make sure you set up your onboard account with separate CC

I am sure you know this already

 

Enjoy

Lyn

[Leejnd4]

Spa

Drinks

Shops

Internet

 

LOL! Well, spa I probably won't use (although I may pay the $25 for a day pass at some point).

 

Drinks - not if we're buying a bev package, but that's still to be decided.

 

Shops - I'm not much for buying overpriced ship souvenirs so that's not really an option.

 

Internet - I'm going on this cruise to get AWAY from it all! ;) So if I go online at all, I might pop into a restaurant with free wifi on shore at some point.

 

Eh...we'll work it out somehow. I definitely was surprised at this wrinkle, but I'll work with it.

[ORV]

Ohhh...right, I totally forgot about the 45-day window for the regular specialty restaurants. DOH! I'm not in the window for that yet. :o It's all coming back to me now. I'll be patient. :)

 

Regarding La Reserve...yes I'm aware what it is, and I can't wait! I did a similar dining/wine pairing experience on Crystal called the Vintage Room, and it was one of the best nights on the cruise. After reading the three available La Reserve menus on our cruise we want to splurge and do the Connoisseur menu, which has some incredible wines on the list that I am dying to try. Just knowing the cost of a few of those wines by the bottle, it sounds like a great value!

 

Anyway, I'm disappointed that we have to pay upfront, but I suppose that's how they ensure that people don't cancel at the last minute, given that they have to pre-plan for the food/wine needs. So I'm okay with it. I'll go ahead and book and pay for myself and Sandy, and she can pay me back.

 

As for shore excursions...that one still has me baffled. I've never been on any cruise line that expects you to pre-pay shore excursions...I've always paid for them through my shipboard account at the end of the cruise. If that's what we have to do, then I may need to have a pow-wow with my friends to figure out how to do this. Ugh. Does anyone else find this pre-paying for shore excursions to be annoying?

 

I'm curious what lines you've been on that allow that? I'll admit in the last 7 years I've only been on 3 lines, but they all require payment for excursions at time of booking.

 

Thanks! I did so much reading in advance about this cruise, I can't believe I missed this little tidbit about having to pre-pay for pretty much everything.

 

 

 

YES...that is a HUGE problem, as we have a nice chunk of OBC! How in the heck are we supposed to use it? We can't use it for any of the high-ticket items we want to purchase (e.g. shore excursions, La Reserve, Bev package)...so what on earth are we to DO with it? :confused:

 

Actually you can wait till you're on board to book your Beverage package, they're not going to run out and I can't see any advantage for you to book it in advance. That'll take a pretty good chunk of your OBC there.

 

Also as someone else mentioned you can always gamble and wait to book excursions till you are on board. The only time I wouldn't do that is when there is something I really wanted to do. We've waited on a regular basis and got the excursions we wanted. A lot depends on how popular and sold out your cruise is.

[Leejnd4]

Yes if you book onboard they will use your OBC

some Shorex tours can get cancelled for lack of interest

Go the first day & each of you fill in the form for the excursion you want

Make sure you set up your onboard account with separate CC

I am sure you know this already

 

Enjoy

Lyn

 

Thanks Lyn! Can't believe it's so close...I booked this cruise almost a year ago, and suddenly here we are, already past our final payment date.

 

In the intervening months I suffered a shoulder injury that led to major shoulder surgery, which I am still recovering from. Now I have to devote myself to my PT to get my arm working well enough to be able to scuba dive. That was really my main motivation for selecting this itinerary...I wanted to try O, and I love scuba diving, so this 10-day cruise visits 5 islands with diving. So wish me luck!

[Mura]

We do more private tours than ship's tours, but it's been very rare that we've had a problem waiting to book a tour until we board -- and then you can use your OBC. If it's (as Lyn said) a popular Black Sea tour, or a tour to the Alhambra (which has very limited tickets available to begin with), you'd want to book those asap. But most of the time that isn't necessary.

 

On occasion we've booked a tour that was cancelled because too few of us were interested, but that also isn't common.

 

I think you were exaggerating when you talked about "most" things having to be paid upfront. It's true for a few things (like La Reserve) but not "most".

 

Mura

[Leejnd4]

I'm curious what lines you've been on that allow that? I'll admit in the last 7 years I've only been on 3 lines, but they all require payment for excursions at time of booking.

 

My last few cruises have been on Paul Gauguin, Crystal, and Windstar. I was able to book all of my shore excursions without pre-paying...and I was able to apply my OBC and pay for them upon departure from my shipboard account.

 

Actually you can wait till you're on board to book your Beverage package, they're not going to run out and I can't see any advantage for you to book it in advance. That'll take a pretty good chunk of your OBC there.

 

Also as someone else mentioned you can always gamble and wait to book excursions till you are on board. The only time I wouldn't do that is when there is something I really wanted to do. We've waited on a regular basis and got the excursions we wanted. A lot depends on how popular and sold out your cruise is.

 

Good point about the bev package! :) And I believe I will go ahead and take the great advice I've received here and hold off on booking any shore excursions until we're onboard.

[Leejnd4]

I think you were exaggerating when you talked about "most" things having to be paid upfront. It's true for a few things (like La Reserve) but not "most".

 

Mura

 

Hmm...I don't think I was exaggerating, as I don't see the ability to book ANYTHING up front without pre-paying. Am I missing something? The Bev package, the Culinary classes...is there a single thing I can pre-book without paying for it? Where should I be looking?

[Mura]

Then I would say it may depend on just what you are looking to book early. We personally don't do many of those things.

 

Culinary classes are very limited in terms of how many people can take them and they are very popular. So I understand their charging in advance (as they do with La Reserve). And they are refundable if you cancel in time should something arise that prevents you from doing the activity.

[Leejnd4]

Then I would say it may depend on just what you are looking to book early. We personally don't do many of those things.

 

Culinary classes are very limited in terms of how many people can take them and they are very popular. So I understand their charging in advance (as they do with La Reserve). And they are refundable if you cancel in time should something arise that prevents you from doing the activity.

 

Well given that this is my first O cruise, and I've heard great things about the culinary classes, I thought I should at least give them a try.:D

 

Again, I do understand them wanting to charge in advance, it's just not something I've seen before...and it meant I couldn't use my OBC for the things I need to book in advance.

 

Good to know that the culinary classes fill up -- I will talk to the gals and see if we want to go ahead and pre-book one of them.

[Mura]

They ARE very popular! There must be a reason for that. :D

[LHT28]

If you want to book an excursion prior to boarding can you go online & just select your name for the excursion then check out & pay with your CC

Then book the excursion with one of the other names do the same check out use her CC

 

It could work for the cooking classes as well

just check mark 1 person on the booking at a time

 

worth a try

 

Hope you are recovering well & ready for the trip

 

Lyn

Edited October 12, 2015 by LHT28