Notes on La Reserve, Riviera Nov. TA

[Shawnino]

--Discovery Menu has been retired in favour of Cuisine Bourgeoise. Odyssey Menu likely phased out middle of next year in favour of something else (TBA, but themed like C.B.). (Source: Dorian, who ran the event all three nights we were there.)

 

--One night cancelled for lack of uptake (Connoisseur, 17th) and another night deferred to later in cruise to get minimum uptake. IMO it was poorly advertised onboard. There was a 1/4-page ad in the insert to Currents every few days but the vague, static ad told you neither what it actually was nor when it was on. Should have said "Seven course Menu featuring X-Y-Z on Thursday at 7" (etc.). This, coupled with the inability to pre-book C.B. online, is surely hurting signups.

 

--We managed to get all three nights in. Not only the best wine on the ship but in my party-of-4's opinion the best food too. Service impeccable. IMO Odyssey Menu is Michelin-star-ish, and the other two are very, very good. I found C.B. a bit heavy for my taste/palate but don't let that discourage you if you like French food. Highly recommended experience, even if you are lukewarm to wine.

 

 

[pinotlover]

Thanks for the update!

 

On our upcoming February cruise they are only offering the Odyssey and CB menu one night each. 

 

Having done all the menus at us at least twice each, (I’m still repeating ), I believe it is a marvelous thing that they are changing up and refreshing menus! Something they should do in the Specialties. 

 

With wine, vintage matters. Having done all the menus over several years with the same wine, but different vintage, professionally I can say that some of the different vintages were ( are) not as good a pairing as originally done. Dynamic changes needed to occur.

 

A question for the OP. How busy was the La Reserve Wine bar on the nights no dinners are held? Are they making more money as a wine bar or doing the dinners??!!

[Shawnino]

We didn't really look at the Wine Bar.

It was mostly offered on nights of port days, and we found ourselves with little time between returning aboard and eating at 6:30.

 

Dorian said uptake wasn't great.

Speculation on my part is that it might be for the same reason as La Reserve wasn't packed: it wasn't well advertised onboard. I saw it as an insert to Currents maybe twice, and one day there was a blackboard outside La Reserve announcing it. Cruise Directors did not ever mention either product in announcements as I recall.

For early diners, it is also competing with Happy Hour. 

 

[pinotlover]

Shawnino;

 

Thanks for the report. Unless we specifically have a Specialties reservation at 6:30, we avoid the 6:30 rush ( crush) and allow all those that need more time or assistance, along with the starving souls, to get settled in first. Therefore, we’ll show up at the GDR at 7:00-7:15, leaving plenty of time both for a nice glass of wine at La Reserve and making it to the show at 9:30. Much calmer relaxed atmosphere doing so in our opinion.

 

If opened, it could be a great pretuner for a 7:30 reservation for the 12th Deck Specialties. Not a long elevator ride back down to 5 either!

[Shawnino]

PL,

 

What a good plan.

We deemed ourselves hungrier souls--or at least sleepier souls-- on an exceedingly port-intensive two week run from Venice to Barcelona. Port every day but one, and with that kind of pace we were opting to eat early to sleep early.

But you make an excellent suggestion.

I wish they did a better job of advertising which days Wine Bar was on...we might have made more effort, esp. on the TA from BCN--Miami.

 

Your earlier points about wines/vintages are well taken. I don't think we had a single poor pairing across three dinners, but for sure a handful sparkled brighter than the rest. 

 

With proper continued curation and better advertising, La Reserve could set O apart from the rest all on its own.

 

[cruzzzinma]

I agree with Shawnino. While we only booked Odyssey on board, the food and wine were amazing. They did a fantastic job of addressing allergies. Our food had substitutions but looked like everyone else’s.

 

The added dinners were not well advertised. There were ads in the currents but they didn’t say when the dinners were.

[warburg]

Regarding La Reserve, I booked Odyssey on line a few weeks ago for March 7th on Riviera, the only available menu and date available. When I returned to the La Reserve calendar, the available date had been changed to March 10th. It really doesn't matter because it is too early to make Specialty reservations. Final payment is December 6th, and reservations are later than that. I will check to see which date sticks. This will be our third Odyssey. It has been awhile since the other two, and we certainly enjoyed them. The experience is food theater.

 

A few weeks ago, someone at O told me the ship was half full. The Black Friday sale probably upped bookings. We live on South Beach, and competition in the cruise industry is fierce! There have been four brand new vessels mooring at Port of Miami since the summer. The most recent, Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas, left the port after a grand display of fireworks from a gorgeous new terminal. There are new ships sailing from Port Everglades, as well. It seems as though every cruise line has stepped up advertising. We get offers galore almost every day. When Branson's cruise line hits the water, it will be interesting to see what impact.t it will have.

Mary

 

 

[GeezerCouple]

On 11/29/2018 at 1:09 PM, Shawnino said:

PL,

 

What a good plan.

We deemed ourselves hungrier souls--or at least sleepier souls-- on an exceedingly port-intensive two week run from Venice to Barcelona. Port every day but one, and with that kind of pace we were opting to eat early to sleep early.

But you make an excellent suggestion.

I wish they did a better job of advertising which days Wine Bar was on...we might have made more effort, esp. on the TA from BCN--Miami.

 

Your earlier points about wines/vintages are well taken. I don't think we had a single poor pairing across three dinners, but for sure a handful sparkled brighter than the rest. 

 

With proper continued curation and better advertising, La Reserve could set O apart from the rest all on its own.

 

 

We are on board now, and have seen/heard absolutely nothing about any wine bar.

Thus far, when we stopped by to check to see if we could find out anything, such as days/hours or wine selections offered, there was no access (an apparent La Reserve dinner once, and a bunch of officers meeting there another time).

We'll ask our Butler (who has been a serious disappointment, but that's a separate issue).

 

But the ship in general is still wonderful, and thus far, the food excellent.

 

GC

[pinotlover]

Geezercouple;

 

can you you please ask as to the status? Very interested. Can’t believe they’ve killed it this quickly! See what mgt has to say!!

 

we were looking forward to the bar with a more upscale wine selection even if the prices were extra.

 

thanks!

[StanandJim]

The Wine Bar not being advertised most likely has to do with the way that Wine Spectator wants it presented to the passengers. 

For example, they serve food, but Oceania has to be very careful about calling it a Wine Venue and NOT another of the restaurants on the ship.  That is another reason that the original version of the venue wasn't open every night, they want to keep it "special".

We're looking forward to the Wine Bar as well, but it is never going to be a nightly thing.   

 

 

[GeezerCouple]

3 minutes ago, StanandJim said:

The Wine Bar not being advertised most likely has to do with the way that Wine Spectator wants it presented to the passengers. 

For example, they serve food, but Oceania has to be very careful about calling it a Wine Venue and NOT another of the restaurants on the ship.  That is another reason that the original version of the venue wasn't open every night, they want to keep it "special".

We're looking forward to the Wine Bar as well, but it is never going to be a nightly thing.   

 

 

 

I'm not sure what your first two sentences mean.  IF there is a problem with how Wine Spectator "wants it presented", why can't Oceania/Riviera just "present" it that way?

We are on board, and it would be nice to hear about it, something, somehow, ON board, and not just through CruiseCritic.

 

We are still in search of information, and will report back if/when we learn something.

 

GC

[Shawnino]

I get SandJ's point.

 

O's own tastings, held on Deck 6, were relatively heavily promoted in Currents and in announcements...Limoncellos, Martinis, and Cognacs to name three.

Wine Bar very low key.

I do regret not making time now.

[LHT28]

On our cruise in July  they had it open a couple of  nights

it was in the Currents  the night before   the  event

We  did not go but DH did take a couple of photos

 

 

[RJB]

4 hours ago, LHT28 said:

On our cruise in July  they had it open a couple of  nights

it was in the Currents  the night before   the  event

We  did not go but DH did take a couple of photos

 

 

Looks yummy.    Will look for it next time.