Sand and Seas Posted May 23, 2019 #1 Share Posted May 23, 2019 For recent Gem cruisers, just wondering about the Orchid Garden restaurant. Can you make reservations after boarding? (It will not allow us to reserve in advance like the specialty restaurants we have booked.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonvoyagie Posted May 23, 2019 #2 Share Posted May 23, 2019 Orchard Garden is complementary so it falls into the same category as O'Sheehan's and the MDRs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sand and Seas Posted May 23, 2019 Author #3 Share Posted May 23, 2019 23 minutes ago, bonvoyagie said: Orchard Garden is complementary so it falls into the same category as O'Sheehan's and the MDRs. On our Breakaway cruise earlier this month we were able to make a reservation after boarding for Shanghais Noodle Bar. We couldn't reserve until we boarded and times filled up fast. Just wondering if it might now be the same on the Gem as it's been awhile since we were on a Jewel class ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mking8288 Posted May 23, 2019 #4 Share Posted May 23, 2019 As of last week, on the Dawn's Bamboo (Asian dining) - reservations can/must be made onboard for free dining. Couldn't do that in advance online with a booking, nor could we do it onboard with the NCL "App" interactively. It's either calling the onboard reservation # (extension) or going to the RR Desk to see what's available. We did that for a table of 8 and hostess told us all the slots filled up, especially toward the end of our cruise week. She offered to put smaller parties on a standby list, in case of no-shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yearsofcruising Posted May 23, 2019 #5 Share Posted May 23, 2019 yup Orchard Garden is a freebie.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sand and Seas Posted May 23, 2019 Author #6 Share Posted May 23, 2019 12 hours ago, mking8288 said: As of last week, on the Dawn's Bamboo (Asian dining) - reservations can/must be made onboard for free dining. Couldn't do that in advance online with a booking, nor could we do it onboard with the NCL "App" interactively. It's either calling the onboard reservation # (extension) or going to the RR Desk to see what's available. We did that for a table of 8 and hostess told us all the slots filled up, especially toward the end of our cruise week. She offered to put smaller parties on a standby list, in case of no-shows. It sounds like Dawn is doing the same thing as Breakaway for the complementary Asian restaurant. I know in the past on some ships people would just line up at 5:30 or so and hope to get in. Even though Orchid Garden is a 'freebie' I'm thinking they might allow us to reserve once we board. Thanks for your replies🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mking8288 Posted May 23, 2019 #7 Share Posted May 23, 2019 Our BIL and also friends, recently off the Getaway (on T/A repo) said that (free) Shanghai Noodles dining is now by reservations only too - apparently, quite popular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggTexasGal Posted May 23, 2019 #8 Share Posted May 23, 2019 10 minutes ago, Sand and Seas said: It sounds like Dawn is doing the same thing as Breakaway for the complementary Asian restaurant. I know in the past on some ships people would just line up at 5:30 or so and hope to get in. Even though Orchid Garden is a 'freebie' I'm thinking they might allow us to reserve once we board. Thanks for your replies🙂 We were on the Gem about a month ago. We tried to make a reservation for Orchid Garden at the front desk. However, we were told we would have to just go to Orchid Garden, while they were open, to make a reservation. We were fortunate that we to wanted to dine early, so we were simply seated right away, on that particular evening. But, yes, reservations are required! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sand and Seas Posted May 23, 2019 Author #9 Share Posted May 23, 2019 13 minutes ago, ggTexasGal said: We were on the Gem about a month ago. We tried to make a reservation for Orchid Garden at the front desk. However, we were told we would have to just go to Orchid Garden, while they were open, to make a reservation. We were fortunate that we to wanted to dine early, so we were simply seated right away, on that particular evening. But, yes, reservations are required! Good to know! I'm making a note on my 'things to do' first day. Thanks😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WickedRed Posted May 23, 2019 #10 Share Posted May 23, 2019 I was on the Gem earlier this month. My friends and I just walked up and asked to be seated. We were seated right away and the place was pretty much empty the whole time we were there. This was the first night though, and I think it was a different story the rest of the week. Food was excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vince_g Posted May 23, 2019 #11 Share Posted May 23, 2019 Been on Gem many many times, the latest being earlier in May. Unlike Bamboo on the Dawn, Orchid Garden does not take reservations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
df5250 Posted May 24, 2019 #12 Share Posted May 24, 2019 (edited) I was on the Gem in April. As others have said, you could not make a reservation for Orchid Garden. I went several times during the cruise at peak times and only had to wait once. This was a 14 day cruise, so I am not sure if it will be different on shorter cruises. On the Dawn to Bermuda last year, we were lucky to get in once. Edited May 24, 2019 by df5250 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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