Specialty Restaurant Availability

[Jack E Dawson]

My wife and I have booked a 10-night cruise on the Viking Sea from Venice to Athens in category V1. I understand that this category comers with no guaranteed advance bookings for the specialty restaurants but I was wondering if this means that I will likely have no opportunity to eat at one of these restaurants?

[orchestrapal]

41 minutes ago, Jack E Dawson said:

My wife and I have booked a 10-night cruise on the Viking Sea from Venice to Athens in category V1. I understand that this category comers with no guaranteed advance bookings for the specialty restaurants but I was wondering if this means that I will likely have no opportunity to eat at one of these restaurants?

 

If you go to the World Cafe port side there is a desk  where you will be able to make your reservations.

On our cruises there was no problem getting even additional reservations on board.

Edited January 21, 2019 by orchestrapal

[Little Monty]

In addition to the previous option .. If you can’t get a reservation go to Manfredis front desk at 6pm and let them know you would like to eat there that night. 

 

If you ask for a table for 2 at a specific time, probably no chance. But if you are flexible with time and prepared to share you will get in more often than not.

 

[Jack E Dawson]

Thanks. Excellent advice. 

[lackcreativity]

We also travel in veranda cabins and have managed to secure reservations in each specialty once on board on both of our cruises, often more than one in each. It helps to be flexible on time slots, and in Chef's Table you may not get your first choice of menu. We have enjoyed all but one of the Chef's Table menus (and maybe we just don't like Peking duck?), so we are happy trying new things.

 

Download the Viking app before you board, as you can also make and track reservations from your phone or tablet. I suggest you book early in the cruise, but don't be afraid to check availability later as people do change their plans and slots may open up.

 

 

Edited January 21, 2019 by lackcreativity

[Baron Barracuda]

On our Star sailing we saw guests at the desk in WC every day making and changing reservations.  Toward the end of the cruise we inquired about Manfredi's and was told it was totally booked.  As others recommended we stopped at Manfredi's hostess desk and were told they might be able to accommodate us after 8pm.   Returned at 8:15pm and were seated immediately.  Love Manfredi's, so did the same thing the following night.

[H2Otstr]

6 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

On our Star sailing we saw guests at the desk in WC every day making and changing reservations.  Toward the end of the cruise we inquired about Manfredi's and was told it was totally booked.  As others recommended we stopped at Manfredi's hostess desk and were told they might be able to accommodate us after 8pm.   Returned at 8:15pm and were seated immediately.  Love Manfredi's, so did the same thing the following night.

 

On our last cruise, Dec of 2018, we were unable to get a reservation for the time we wanted at Manfredi's. The only available times were either 8 pm or 8:30 pm and we just don't dine that late. I am glad that we were able to experience dining there on two other cruises. The food is great. 

[vslparis]

We have always gone to the desk at the restaurant to see if anything is available that night or perhaps another night and have found that of we are flexible on time and table size they can make it happen.  The key is flexibility. 

[Insanityx4]

Our first Viking Ocean cruise we were V1 and could not pre-book specialty restaurants. It was a 15 day cruise and I believe we had 7-8 meals in specialty dining rooms. Not always at the best times (either early or late) but we never had any problems getting a table.

[philw1776]

1. Go to the desk at the World Cafe Day one & book
2. Walk up to the specialty restaurant at dinner time and ask if any openings later that night

3. Use the Viking App when onboard to see what's still open & book it

 

Repeat the above as people (like us) cancel dinner reservations and times open up all the time during your cruise.

[terrydtx]

We are booked on our first VO cruise in 2020. We have a PV1 cabin and the other couple we are going with have a PS1 and they get to pre book specialty restaurants before we can. Can they book a reservation for 4, so that we can all dine together?  Just curious how this would work.

[orchestrapal]

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We are booked on our first VO cruise in 2020. We have a PV1 cabin and the other couple we are going with have a PS1 and they get to pre book specialty restaurants before we can. Can they book a reservation for 4, so that we can all dine together?  Just curious how this would work.

 

The answer is no, however you can go with them to the reservation desk and try to change their table for two to one for four. It is usually no problem.