Do you like the way Virgin Voyages does this?

[mfs2k]

I know Virgin Voyages takes pride in doing things differently from other cruise lines but the dining reservations process seems overly stressful to me.

 

In the good old days on mainstream cruise lines, you'd be assigned an early or late seating for dinner, and you'd show up to your dining room at the expected time and eat dinner with the people at the table the Maitre D' assigned you to. If you didn't like your assigned table or dining time, the Maitre D' would try to accommodate you and switch to a new time or table.

 

Then cruise lines started offering alternative premium Specialty Restaurants you could reserve for an extra fee.  There wasn't overwhelming demand since most people didn't want to pay extra, so you could usually get a reservation when you wanted. 

 

Then some cruise lines offered "freestyle" dining, and you could go to various themed restaurants when you wanted to and wait on line to get in to the ones with high demand. Other cruise lines offered "Premium" dining rooms for upgraded or suite guests.

 

Virgin now offers numerous premium dining rooms included, but if you want to get into the ones you want, you have to make reservations in advance, and if the sailing is booked up, it's really impossible to get advance reservations to the restaurants you want a few days after the booking window opens up. 

 

I know a percentage of reservations open up after you board but....

 

The whole process is STRESSFUL if you have booked a cruise and  you want to eat in a different premium dining room each night of your 4 night cruise when there are NO reservations available.  The four of us traveling on Scarlet Lady in a few weeks are frustrated we cant get dinner reservations and we have to be anxious we won't get reservations when we board because we're not in the first group. 

 

This process is NOT an improvement.  I will not be happy if I have to eat in the non buffet/buffet every night because we cant get into the steakhouse, italian restaurant and/or the Mexican restaurant.  Razzle Dazzle and the Test Kitchen don't look appealing to us for dinner.

 

The idea of booking a cruise then having this stupid anxiety over dinner isn't my favorite way to anticipate a vacation.

 

Obviously many people don't sweat the small stuff and apparently im in the class that does.  But I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. 

 

The idea that the Virgin V. way is more carefree and preferable seems like false advertising as I approach my sailing date. 

 

PS:  If you're an enthusiastic VV supporter, I get you'll have strong opinions supporting the cruise line.  

 

 

[mbfrenc0586]

I have cruised VV 3 times with #4 in April and #5 for this upcoming New Years.  Frist 3 cruise no issues with restaurant reservations ahead of time overall. 

 

This April cruise I was unable to book any restaurants ahead of time.  I was on the day the reservations opened and there was nothing for any restaurant, any day of the cruise before 9:15pm.  Little frustrating but I know from experience that more times will be open when I get on board and I'll most likely have little issues getting reservations, may have to be a little flexible.  

 

You can also go to the reservation help desk on embarkation day and they can help you as well.  Plus you can always walk up to a restaurant.  They always have cancellations.  You may have to wait a little but you should be able to get in.

 

I truly wouldn't stress over it.  VV is an amazing cruise line and you will have an amazing time.  

[garycarla]

 

This topic seems to generate new threads almost daily.

 

As everyone continues to share - way more open up later.

 

And by the way - I HATED the idea of a main dining room and you ge assigned Early or Late. Period.

 

 

[raphael360]

 There are several conversations on this board about restaurant/reservations with most reporting many many more reservation options available once onboard.

It’s not the traditional cruise format for sure. I’ve taken over 50 cruises many lines including Royal, Princess and Seabourn. Every cruise was the same exact cruise so, Personally for me, I grew to hate the exact same cruise experience offered on the big box lines. With that said I am a fan of VV. It may not appeal to everyone  

. 

[dazadelaide]

The whole dining thing worries me too.

Everyone says more open up when you get on board but most say they have not had a full ship and it might not be as easy as the cruiseline grows.

My issue is that we are on the resilient lady in Nov and the cruise is 45 days from Athens to Sydney broken up into 3 15 day sections.

Alot are taking the entire trip but we are only doing the middle section.

This middle section is fully booked as friends of ours tried to book the same section we are on only 1 month ago but were unable to as all cabins are full on this leg.

With a full ship we are very concerned about the experience we will have re dining and shows etc.

Daz

Edited March 10, 2023 by dazadelaide
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[AdoraBelle]

I don't mind it too much, but I wish there weren't two restaurants where you're locked into what is essentially a communal "experience" (Test Kitchen and Gunbae). 

[CineGraphic]

Virgin has indeed improved the dining experience. During our 3 sailings, it wasn't stressful at all.

I will never wait in line to eat dinner again.

Even with reservations on Princess, you could wait 20+ minutes in line.

 

[aimee0715]

Frankly, I resent having to make reservations for anything on a cruise.  Just give me an early or late dining that I can just show up for without any hassle. I'm busy and the attraction of a cruise was mostly that I can book it and be done. Now I have to worry about dinner reservations. I miss the days of just being able to go to dinner at my appointed time and then go to a show if I wanted to with zero planning on my part.  This seems to have gone the way of the dodo bird on most lines.  We'll be on a b2b on Resilient Lady in May/June.  The app tells me that I can make dinner reservations starting April 6.  I guess I'll just plan to be up at 12:01 on April 6 to make those reservations. 

[_tacocat_]

1 hour ago, dazadelaide said:

Everyone says more open up when you get on board but most say they have not had a full ship and it might not be as easy as the cruiseline grows.

i've been on with 2,300 and was STILL able to move reservations around on the first day.  while not officially full, that's pretty close!

[scubagal44]

I do prefer it this way, as I'd rather go to dinner at a time of my own choosing than a time I've been told to show up.  I was on a pretty full sailing back in October on Valiant (2200 sailors) and the restaurant process was NOT flawless, however, we were able to move around times/restaurants fairly easily with a day's advance notice.  There were a few times we wanted to change restaurant or time for the following day, and when the app showed no availability we just went to the restaurant in question to speak kindly with the host and they were always able to accommodate us with a res at or around the time we wanted.

 

That said, on our sailing from what I observed when I was checking in for our reservation and others were in line hoping to get in without a res, walk ups were NOT accommodated and diners were turned away at the Wake, Extra Virgin, Pink Agave, and Razzle Dazzle.  

 

TL;DR - as long as you know by the day before you want to dine and go see the host with a smile and ask for a spot, they can make it happen.  

 

Also, don't waste your time with the red desk that says they can help you with reservations - they always told me no can do, nothing available, blah blah blah, and I'd go straight from there to the host stand and they'd get us a reservation.  I can't tell you why it was that way, just that it was.  

[jon81uk]

2 hours ago, AdoraBelle said:

I don't mind it too much, but I wish there weren't two restaurants where you're locked into what is essentially a communal "experience" (Test Kitchen and Gunbae). 

Test Kitchen isn’t communal. There is some high top diner/bar style seating but it’s not intended to encourage discussion like Gunbae is. They usually leave empty seats between parties. 

[garycarla]

Life is way too short to "worry" and "stress".

 

Let it go. It works out.

[cantgetin]

I think most of the concerns are being voiced by people who have never cruised on VV.  I've had nothing but trouble with advanced reservations.  The app just didn't work, perhaps because too many were using it at once. On my first cruise, I called shoreside customer service and they  did my bookings, for my next cruise, I let my TA take care of it and just provided a list of what I wanted with approximate times.  We have been able to change reservations after boarding with no problem.  The only time we were turned away from a walk up was brunch at The Wake, and we showed up about noon--they kindly made us a reservation for the next day.  We've changed reservations thru the app on the day of the current res and have also shown up early for reservations and were seated early.

 

Bottom line, I like the system.  I've learned not to stress over what "might" happen. As someone implied above, the red tables only manage to make dining reservations on embarkation day; otherwise use the app or go to the restaurant.  
 
I like the system.  We won't go to Test Kitchen again, so we just don't  reserve there.  On some other lines, there is a pre-established rotation.  Test Kitchen is NOT a communal experience, and there are seats other than the bar stools.  Just ask.  One of my party cannot physically sit at the bar stools...no problem.

 

29 nights, and I've never not had a reservation for one of the restaurants regardless of how full the ship was.  And we've done lots of walk ups, particularly for brunch but occasionally for an earlier than planned dinner.

 

[dazadelaide]

Ok. Thanks for putting my mind at rest somewhat about the dining situation on a fuller ship.

Daz

[LibratPDX]

I have waited to be seated for my assigned dining times M U C H  longer on other cruise lines than I ever have on VV, but it's admittedly easier for me because I am solo and tend to dine early.  That said, while reservations are encouraged, they are not required, and as many have said, they may not be available on the app prior to the cruise but you will be able to make them when you board.   And it needs to be said, you are receiving a much better quality of food on VV than the MDR food of other cruise lines, you are receiving upgraded food without having to pay specialty restaurant pricing, with a few exceptions (seafood tower, tomahawk steak, teatime treats, I probably missed one or two).

 

It's a little condescending to tell someone not to worry, so I won't say that, but I think your issues will be resolved once you board the ship and call or visit the restaurants regarding reservations.  Many people have been successful not making reservations at all, completely winging it and just showing up.  I for one am too twitchy to do that, lol, but I have never once seen any of the dining venues at maximum capacity, they are still spacing people for distancing purposes I believe.  But I never saw a large line of any kind at any of the venues either.  Enjoy your cruise!

[HolsAddict]

You have no need to worry as you will get into the restaurants you want even if you haven't booked them in advance. As previously said, either book once on board or ask at the restaurant itself if there is availability. I never saw a queue at any of the restaurants. 

VV is a lovely, chilled experience. I can wait to June when we are on the Resilient Lady. 

[TechSurfer]

19 hours ago, AdoraBelle said:

I don't mind it too much, but I wish there weren't two restaurants where you're locked into what is essentially a communal "experience" (Test Kitchen and Gunbae). 

Just ate at Test Kitchen Thursday.  It wasn't that communal.  More like eating at a sushi bar.  

[TechSurfer]

I'm on Scarlett right now.  We did make some reservations, but also...

• Walk-ins are decently common.  Not always available, but sometimes.
• Having a reservation doesn't guarantee that their app will recognize it at the restaurant.  (My worst experience on the ship so far was a snotty and incorrect Matre'd.  I made him call a manager.) 
• Some of the shows (e.g. Ship Show) include dinner.  And it was pretty good actually.
• Regardless of reservations, room service is decent (and one of the very few things Virgin doesn't dime you for), and the Galley is often open.
• Although... from 11:30am to noon, you have almost no options.  I think the choice was a few breakfast options - eggs and chicken sausage.  Because the menus are switching over and lunch starts at noon.

 

I personally despise the normal cruise-ship assigned seating-and-time thing.  Hate it.  This is more like being in a nice city... make reservations for fine dining, nip out for something fast or order delivery.

 

[neverendingcruising]

Pros and cons for sure, I like the more distinct restaurants with overall better quality for the stress of booking (thankfully my wife has mastered the art of pre-voyage reservations). 

 

I personally think Razzle Dazzle is underrated, the pork pasta is amazing as is the con salad. 

[Wildcatllamas]

If you have booked through a TA they can usually go in and get your dinner reservations booked for you. 

 

I called Virgin direct back in 2021, when the app was notorious for being wonky, and they were more then happy to help me book my dinner reservations.

 

So relax and enjoy the new experience. 

[Fogcityca13]

I can see booking only a few weeks out can make the process frustrating. Yay we’re going on a cruise in a few weeks, then not knowing when and where you might have dinner. With some flexibility you’ll be fine. Virgin has been pretty good about listening to feedback and making changes. As they start sailing with more pax I would imagine the reservation process will be tweaked. 
 

I do prefer the system and will happily deal with any of the cons. The MDR experience was a major dislike I had with cruising, I hated the set times. It was always a compromise between cutting shore excursions short for an early dining slot or missing and evening show for the later. My Time dining always meant standing in line unless you are super early or late for dinner service. The food quality on Princess and RCCL isn’t anything I couldn’t cook better at home, so we found ourselves eating in the specialty restaurants more and more. Virgin has done very well targeting folks like myself. 

[cantgetin]

I've been on a coiuple cruises on other lines where we booked late and had no choice about dinner seating.  

While you might not get your preferred restaurant for each night on VV, I can't see that it matters provided you aren't wanting "that one" for a birthday, anniversary, to propose, or something really special.  What you will have is by far the best overall food at sea, and I'm not aware of anyone not being able to eat at one of the restaurants each night.  True that some time flexibility may be needed.

I'm willing to deal with the current VV system but wish it would be changed just a bit so that the app worked and that maybe the number of reservations released in advance related to the number of people booked for the cruise.  I've seen people book the next cruise while they are on the ship (turning it into a B2B,) but I don't think too many people book after the 45 day point.

[jeanarae]

I hate the feeling of being in a group of cattle, shuffled into the assigned dining room at the assigned time to sit in my assigned seat. I love VVs format and how it makes things flexible. 
 

The day of embarkation there will be openings. And there are always walk ups open. The most I’ve heard anyone has had to wait was 15 minutes which they did at the bar (it was Extra Virgin) and they got a free drink 😂

 

Promise - no one will go hungry. 

[cantgetin]

1 hour ago, jeanarae said:

I hate the feeling of being in a group of cattle, shuffled into the assigned dining room at the assigned time to sit in my assigned seat. I love VVs format and how it makes things flexible. 
 

 

So funny...when I asked my agent about VV prior to my first cruise, he said it was a cruise line for people who didn't like to stand in line and be told what to do!

[raphael360]

My answer to OP's original question; "Do you like the way Virgin Voyages does this?" is a resounding YES.  I too was stressed out prior to my first cruise but, once on board, I quickly learned I could arrange to eat in 'the Wake' every day or 'Extra Virgin' every day if I wanted to.

 

If one loves the concept of sitting at the same table, with the same 6 strangers, eating at the same exact time, day after day, then one may want to make Celebrity, Royal, HAL, Princess, or Caravel their cruise lines of choice. Having cruised on the above-mentioned lines 20-plus times I absolutely hated that dining concept so I switched to Seabourn and now VV.