Are reservations needed on the Sky specialty restaurants?

[OnTheJourney]

I'm thinking not but then I read something about only being able to eat in some of them once during a cruise (?)  

[cruzzzinma]

I would definitely recommend prebooking reservations.  You are limited by cabin category on what you can prebook but there will be addional availability once you board. The availability once you board is usually at less desirable times and /or shared tables.  We met a lot of people sharing tables in the specialties. We didn’t enjoy sharing in the restaurant - we were always offered a shared table for eight, which is too big for us to be able to hear everyone.

[Jim Avery]

15 hours ago, cruzzzinma said:

I would definitely recommend prebooking reservations.  You are limited by cabin category on what you can prebook but there will be addional availability once you board. The availability once you board is usually at less desirable times and /or shared tables.  We met a lot of people sharing tables in the specialties. We didn’t enjoy sharing in the restaurant - we were always offered a shared table for eight, which is too big for us to be able to hear everyone.

I also recommend rez but once onboard the Sun we had no trouble booking that night or next night.  In fact, we were walk ups at Manfredi's twice and got immediate seating for two.  

[Geoffa30]

We were on the Sky at Christmas in a V1 stateroom so unable to book prior to boarding. We booked on board using the Viking Voyager app. We could have eaten at the speciality restaurants every night of the cruise if we had have wanted. Times were later though, ie at 8ish which was fine with us. However the downside of eating late (which was apparent in the main restaurant too) was that most people had eaten earlier and the waiters seemed eager to get set up for breakfast and finish for the evening. Conversely the one time we ate earlier at just gone 7 the service was terrible as the waiters were so busy.

Edited January 5, 2019 by Geoffa30

[OnTheJourney]

Thanks for the replies. I'll probably reserve a few restaurant dates before departure, and then see how it goes onboard. 

Edited January 6, 2019 by gretschwhtfalcon

[OnTheJourney]

We're basically talking about only the 2 alternative dining options...Manfredi's and Chef's Table, right? I assume reservations aren't needed in the MDR?  I'm so used to the whole "my time dining" thing that some other cruise lines use, thereby making reservations for every night. 

 

DV class info says there is 1 guaranteed reservation at both alternative restaurants, but I presume, from what many of you are saying, this does not preclude one from making additional reservations? 

Edited January 6, 2019 by gretschwhtfalcon

[MarkTapley]

57 minutes ago, gretschwhtfalcon said:

We're basically talking about only the 2 alternative dining options...Manfredi's and Chef's Table, right? I assume reservations aren't needed in the MDR?  I'm so used to the whole "my time dining" thing that some other cruise lines use, thereby making reservations for every night. 

 

DV class info says there is 1 guaranteed reservation at both alternative restaurants, but I presume, from what many of you are saying, this does not preclude one from making additional reservations? 

 

Yes, reservations are required only for Manfredi’s and Chef’s Table.  And yes, once you are on the ship you may make additional reservations for both, depending on availability.

[OnTheJourney]

Thought of something else after having looked at the sample Chef's Table menus...if I reserve before boarding, I suppose it's pot luck as to which of the fixed menus it'll wind up being (?)  

[ropomo]

Once you are eligible to book, you will be able to see a day by day menu specific to your cruise and select accordingly.

Edited January 7, 2019 by ropomo

[OnTheJourney]

Wow...impressive!  Thanks...

[Peregrina651]

Keep in mind that availability has a lot do with the length of the cruise. If you are on a one week cruise or on an itinerary made up of B2B(2B) cruises, then it is going to be a lot harder to get reservations than on cruise than if you are taking an itinerary that is not broken up into segments--which is why Jim found it so much easier to be able to walk up to the podium and get reservations on the world cruise.

 

When Viking designed this cabin category perk, they weren't offering one week cruises. Promised reservations were spread over two weeks or more--and there was plenty of seating for everybody. When they started adding one week itineraries, they did not scale back the number of promised reservations even though they would be spread over half the number of available slots.

 

We just got off one of those one week B2B type cruises and they were actually limiting that number of reservations that one could make.

[Jtm1979]

May I ask..........We've been on Viking prior but have never looked into The Kitchen.  I can't find information regarding booking this venue.  I would appreciate any feedback..........it sounds interesting and we'd like to book this option on our West Indies cruise.

Thanks!

Jul 14, 2019 Viking Jupiter – British Isles Explorer

Feb 18, 2019 Viking Star – West Indies

Feb 05, 2018  Viking Sea - South America and the Caribbean

Feb 15, 2017 Viking Star – West Indies

Sep 14, 2015 Viking Star – Med Odyssey

[Peregrina651]

9 hours ago, Jtm1979 said:

May I ask..........We've been on Viking prior but have never looked into The Kitchen.  I can't find information regarding booking this venue.  I would appreciate any feedback..........it sounds interesting and we'd like to book this option on our West Indies cruise.

Thanks!

Jul 14, 2019 Viking Jupiter – British Isles Explorer

Feb 18, 2019 Viking Star – West Indies

Feb 05, 2018  Viking Sea - South America and the Caribbean

Feb 15, 2017 Viking Star – West Indies

Sep 14, 2015 Viking Star – Med Odyssey

 

The Kitchen is used as part of a gastronomy tour offered on some cruises, where the small group goes with the executive chef to a market to shop for the ingredients and then returns to the ship to prepare the meal.

 

 

Sometimes, there is also a shorter version of The Kitchen Table experience offered on sea days (for a fee). Obviously it does not include the shopping component but it is a learn-to-cook experience.

 

 

[MarkTapley]

We did the Kitchen Table on Orion and went to the fish market in Muscat, Oman with the Executive Chef and one of the Sous Chefs.  Then the Executive Chef cooked us a wonderful dinner in the small kitchen/dining room at the back of Manfredi’s.  It was great fun, but a bit pricey (+/- $250 pp).  There were only six of us, so we got to know Chef pretty well.  About 2 hours at market, then 2 - 3 hours at dinner.

 

We also did one of the cooking classes on a sea day, with one of the Sous Chefs.  Can’t recall the price for that.  It was much shorter (+/- 2 hours total).

 

These we arranged once on the ship, by going to Guest Setvices.

[OnTheJourney]

On 1/6/2019 at 8:54 PM, ropomo said:

Once you are eligible to book, you will be able to see a day by day menu specific to your cruise and select accordingly.

 

I don't see the menu options...just went to book a reservation at Manfredi's and all I see is a day and time option... (?)  Also, was hoping to book during one of the 'at sea' days but they are not listed as an option...presume it's already all full for those days?  Just checked again....most of the early times are gone anyway for the entire cruise. So much for NOT getting up at 3:00 again yesterday like I did for the excursions!  How disappointing.... we don't like to eat much later than 6:00. 

Edited January 14, 2019 by gretschwhtfalcon

[cruzzzinma]

Hopefully, someone will jump in if this is not current: http://www.beyondships2.com/uploads/8/2/4/5/8245255/vrc1008b_manfredis_dinner_menu_cover__fnl_gg.pdf

 

[ropomo]

The menu only changes in the Chef's Table and therefore the "menu of the day" is only shown for that venue.  Manfredi's menu is static and there is no need to show it daily for your choice.

[Peregrina651]

35 minutes ago, ropomo said:

The menu only changes in the Chef's Table and therefore the "menu of the day" is only shown for that venue.  Manfredi's menu is static and there is no need to show it daily for your choice.

 

Besides which, in Manfredi's there are choices while Chef's Table is a fixed 5 course meal and people want to see what is being served before making a reservation.

Edited January 14, 2019 by Peregrina651

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, gretschwhtfalcon said:

 

I don't see the menu options...just went to book a reservation at Manfredi's and all I see is a day and time option... (?)  Also, was hoping to book during one of the 'at sea' days but they are not listed as an option...presume it's already all full for those days?  Just checked again....most of the early times are gone anyway for the entire cruise. So much for NOT getting up at 3:00 again yesterday like I did for the excursions!  How disappointing.... we don't like to eat much later than 6:00. 

Be sure to download the Viking app before you board and once onboar log in ASAP.  We were able to make as many reservations as we wanted through the app while others were waiting in a long line to make theirs and were limited to only one. The app also shows the menu for the Restaurant so you can figure out which night you’d rather eat elsewhere. I would suggest that you check the app through your cruise as the Restaurant Menus changed and we had to reschedule the Chef’s Table to not miss lobster. 

[OnTheJourney]

Clay...this is a great suggestion. I'll search for the app. Thanks...

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, cruzzzinma said:

Hopefully, someone will jump in if this is not current: http://www.beyondships2.com/uploads/8/2/4/5/8245255/vrc1008b_manfredis_dinner_menu_cover__fnl_gg.pdf

 

Looks great...thanks! 

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Besides which, in Manfredi's there are choices while Chef's Table is a fixed 5 course meal and people want to see what is being served before making a reservation.

Peregrina....I found that out....I booked 2 reservations...both at 6:00...one at each restaurant...embarkation day and last sea day. Neither my first choice but see what happens once we board. The Chef's Table is the Mexican menu...also would not have been my preferred out of all the listed sample menus, but, we'll see. 

[CJ Dearborn]

We are first-time Viking cruisers, going on Trade Routes of the Middle Ages on 9/22.   We did not book the specialty restaurants yet.   We don't mind eating later.   Do you think we will have difficulty getting a reservation?

[ropomo]

7 minutes ago, CJ Dearborn said:

We are first-time Viking cruisers, going on Trade Routes of the Middle Ages on 9/22.   We did not book the specialty restaurants yet.   We don't mind eating later.   Do you think we will have difficulty getting a reservation?

 

The cut off for online reservations for you has not passed yet.  Why not log in to My Viking Journey and look for availability now and book.  You can always change your mind once on board.

[CJ Dearborn]

46 minutes ago, ropomo said:

 

The cut off for online reservations for you has not passed yet.  Why not log in to My Viking Journey and look for availability now and book.  You can always change your mind once on board.

We are traveling with another couple - is it possible to book all four of us together?