So you think you have Specialty dinner reservations?

[Redtravel]

We have traveled many times on Oceania. Made usual reservations in advance for 4 specialty restaurants.  Got email confirmations and the 4 reservations were and are still listed on “My Oceania”.  Imagine my surprise when we checked in for our Vista cruise and were given a slip that only listed 3 reservations.  Where did the reservation go ?  I was told that there is nothing they can do about it. Any suggestions?

[Snaefell3]

19 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

We have traveled many times on Oceania. Made usual reservations in advance for 4 specialty restaurants.  Got email confirmations and the 4 reservations were and are still listed on “My Oceania”.  Imagine my surprise when we checked in for our Vista cruise and were given a slip that only listed 3 reservations.  Where did the reservation go ?  I was told that there is nothing they can do about it. Any suggestions?

Who is "they"?  If it isn't the General Mgr, you haven't finished seeking resolution aboard.

[Flatbush Flyer]

10 minutes ago, Snaefell3 said:

Who is "they"?  If it isn't the General Mgr, you haven't finished seeking resolution aboard.

Amen to that! If you’ve got it in writing, it’s really not YOUR problem. It’s “their” problem and you can tell “them” that, if needed, perhaps the GM can help “them” figure out how to honor your reservation.

[Redtravel]

Flatbush Flyer:  I intend to show up at my reservation time. If anyone challenges me, I will show them reservation as shown online. I did make some phone calls yesterday to a variety of offices.  Some didn’t answer and got no return calls. Reception did answer and transferred me to a busy phone line. Called reception again. This time I spoke to a different rep who  said that I had to appear in person at an appointed time.  Not happening.  

Hopefully it is just a glitch in the printed reservation card that we got at checkin.  
 

 

 

 

[Croooser]

Our experience on Vista in November was that Guest Relations staff were indifferent to the two different requests that we made which they chose not to resolve and with a not so pleasant response. This was in stark contrast to what we viewed as consistently good to excellent service levels and response from the rest of the crew that we interacted with. Example - One of those issues was with an overcharge at Toscana. So, after striking out at Guest Relations we went to the Maître D at Toscana who immediately stopped what he was doing and had the charge corrected.

 

For some reason Guest Relations seems to have a license to say NO. In the future we will be prepared to immediately escalate when this happens.

 

YMMV

[babysteps]

2 hours ago, Redtravel said:

... I intend to show up at my reservation time. If anyone challenges me, I will show them reservation as shown online...

 

 

 

 

This is a disappointing situation!

 

Suggest you visit dining reservations on embarkation day (or some point before the reservation in question) and give them the chance to resolve this. My thought is giving them more time to make it right could be less stressful and lead to a better outcome for you.

 

It's within your rights to simply show up, but if the reservation hasn't reached the ship the restaurant likely won't be ready for you... 

Edited January 10 by babysteps

[Redtravel]

7 minutes ago, babysteps said:

This is a disappointing situation!

 

Suggest you visit dining reservations on embarkation day and give them the chance to resolve this. My thought is giving them more time to make it right could be less stressful and lead to a better outcome for you.

 

It's within your rights to simply show up, but if the reservation hasn't reached the ship the restaurant likely won't be ready for you... 

embarkation day had enough problems including dining reservations with no rep

 

[babysteps]

4 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

embarkation day had enough problems including dining reservations with no rep

 

Ugh! Usually the desk is staffed a bit in the mornings, rarely with any waiting passengers

Edited to add, I mean non-embarkation mornings 

Edited January 10 by babysteps

[Redtravel]

5 minutes ago, babysteps said:

Ugh! Usually the desk is staffed a bit in the mornings, rarely with any waiting passengers

Edited to add, I mean non-embarkation mornings 

I may make a visit. Yesterday lines of people with key cards that didn’t work. Mine failed twice before I got to my cabin. I am very careful not to put it near any device.  Got card at checkin, walked onto ship, card not working, went reception, checked in at muster station, card not working, etc.  frustrating!  

[babysteps]

3 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

I may make a visit. Yesterday lines of people with key cards that didn’t work. Mine failed twice before I got to my cabin. I am very careful not to put it near any device.  Got card at checkin, walked onto ship, card not working, went reception, checked in at muster station, card not working, etc.  frustrating!  

Ugh again! Also if you head out for the day before dining desk has its hours, you could leave them a note on the desk. There's usually a pile of papers they go through from all us restricted diners filling out our menus - our 'homework' is due at 10am

[Redtravel]

Got in a long line to talk to dining reservation concierge.  She said that we only had 3 reservations, not 4. Also, I was told that nothing was available for my listed date. However, when I showed her copy of Oceania online confirmation for the 4 restaurants, she changed her tune. She apologized and found us a reservation.  She also took a photo of my confirmation.  
I always take screenshots of any reservations connected to my cruise booking.  Usually things go as planned. It’s when things go astray, a screenshot helps.
 

[Sthrngary]

This kind of thing happen ALL the time on every single brand I have ever cruised.  The situation or item differs but the situation is similar. The first time it happened, I lost my cool big time.  Why, because just like the Author of this thread, I had done my due diligence, had my receipts in hand. Our issue seemed to be the third person in the room for that brand did not have the drink package.  The representative said, "They don't get a drink package normally."  Hogwash and should not have been said because it was not true and made the guest feel even worse.  I get more angry. Finally, the rep said I will check. 

 

NOT the way to start a cruise.  Why do I share this, because in 20 minutes it was fixed with little or no fanfare or apology.  The next cruise something similar happened again.  This time, I handled it differently.  I was NOT upset, I simply smiled and said, "Stuff happens on a ship with thousand of guests.  You guy do a great job.  Just leave a message on my cabin phone when it is fixed."  No more anger on my part because I can get really angry when I a) checked ever box, b) crossed ever "T" and c) dotted every "i".  

 

Conclusion, you get more with sugar, a smile and a positive statement then with anger and I am NOT saying the author got angry.  I did get angry the first time.  Learn from not only my mistake but how I had a not so great first day on a cruise.  Lesson learned and it was a good one.  Do your best to take all avenues to resolve your dinner reservation pre-cruise, if on the cruise do as other shared and talk to the restaurant the day of your reservation, and go to the general manager if need be. In all cases, start with a smile, provide your receipts and ask to have it corrected and when it is done, call your cabin.  Then get a "Big O" martini and start enjoying your cruise. 

 

"Cruise well and enjoy every moment."

 

[shepherd really]

44 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

Got in a long line to talk to dining reservation concierge.  She said that we only had 3 reservations, not 4. Also, I was told that nothing was available for my listed date. However, when I showed her copy of Oceania online confirmation for the 4 restaurants, she changed her tune. She apologized and found us a reservation.  She also took a photo of my confirmation.  
I always take screenshots of any reservations connected to my cruise booking.  Usually things go as planned. It’s when things go astray, a screenshot helps.
 

In other words, you went to the right person with the correct document in hand and the situation was resolved.  

 

 

[Snaefell3]

So..  "They" were Reception on the first day?   Unless I don't have a bed to sleep on, that's not a place I'll go near that day.  I can understand (but not excuse) Reception staff feeling the same way.

 

Sounds like you did the right thing:  not take Reception's "no" as a final answer but took your documentation to someone with the time and authority to fix the problem.

 

Once upon a time, on Regatta, we had something similar.  Dining Reservations couldn't/wouldn't solve it, so we went to the restaurant's maître d', who did.  The morning after the meal, a stranger stopped us in a hallway and asked how our meal went.  It was the GM.

 

@Sthrngary is right.  "Stuff happens, let's fix it" works a lot better than "I DEMAND!"  😉

[Redtravel]

It has been resolved.  I was lucky that I had taken a screenshot of the dining reservations.  

[edgee]

1 hour ago, Redtravel said:

It has been resolved.  I was lucky that I had taken a screenshot of the dining reservations.  

It is also printed on second page of final cruise documents you should receive by email from O or your TA about 3 weeks from embarkation. I embark Vista in exactly 3 weeks and received my final documents by email from my TA this morning.

[shepherd really]

1 hour ago, Redtravel said:

It has been resolved.  I was lucky that I had taken a screenshot of the dining reservations.  

Luck favors the well prepared.  

[Redtravel]

1 minute ago, edgee said:

It is also printed on second page of final cruise documents you should receive by email from O or your TA about 3 weeks from embarkation. I embark Vista in exactly 3 weeks and received my final documents by email from my TA this morning.

You’re right.  Actually the dining reservations are posted 3 ways….snail mail cruise summary booklet, email confirmations, and Oceania website under My reservations.  I showed them the page from Oceania website.  

[Tranquility Base]

I recently did 3 consecutive cruises.

On one of the turnaround days between 2 of the cruises, my pre-booked reservations were not showing in the computer.

Showed the very pleasant & helpful person at the dining reservation desk the bookings made from the website and the missing reservations were immediately re-instated.

They also asked at the same time whether I wished to make any changes to the timings which I did.

This was before the new joining passengers had boarded.

Easy Peasy.

[MEFIowa]

2 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

I recently did 3 consecutive cruises. On one of the turnaround days between 2 of the cruises, my pre-booked reservations were not showing in the computer. Showed the very pleasant & helpful person at the dining reservation desk the bookings made from the website and the missing reservations were immediately re-instated. They also asked at the same time whether I wished to make any changes to the timings which I did. This was before the new joining passengers had boarded. Easy Peasy.

Something's wrong with their system!

 

We did our changeover on a B2B on Riviera 11/9/2023. Wife noticed about 5 pm we didn't have a specialty reservation summary for the cruise in our door or the card for the reservations we had for that night. So I went to the reservation desk and was told, "Sorry you have no reservations inthe system." I went back to my wife, got her, and she brought her cellphone showing the reservations. When we got back down to the desk, there was a woman there with the SAME problem. Yes, it was resolved, but....

 

As for "changes", he wanted to drop a 9 pm reservation for an 8:30 one. As we went from an A3 to a B3 cabin at the changeover, I learned that there really aren't any real "9 pm" reservations. Almost no one came in at or after 8:30 for the 3 of 4 reservations we had to make that late. Table for 2 only. Was fascinating to see how the restaurant is emptying at 9 pm. We had a Red Ginger reservation at 8:30 arriving at 8:25, and only a couple others showed up after us. By 9:30 we were some of the only people there at that time. (We skipped bread & dessert, and ordered directly right up front, in order to leave early, not wanting to sit in what would become a near-empty place.)

[rbtan]

19 hours ago, Redtravel said:

We have traveled many times on Oceania. Made usual reservations in advance for 4 specialty restaurants.  Got email confirmations and the 4 reservations were and are still listed on “My Oceania”.  Imagine my surprise when we checked in for our Vista cruise and were given a slip that only listed 3 reservations.  Where did the reservation go ?  I was told that there is nothing they can do about it. Any suggestions?

Go higher up the food chain. That being said keep checking with the rest. reservation desk. We prefer 6:30 to 7 time frame.Got 3, but Red Ginger we settled for 8 Pm. Will try to change that. We found it's fairly easy.

[Redtravel]

I go on vacation to relax and enjoy the comforts of the ship. Hope that things go as expected.  That doesn’t always happen.  How problems are addressed is important.  Problem of the missing reservation was resolved.  
 

[clo]

10 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

This kind of thing happen ALL the time on every single brand I have ever cruised.  The situation or item differs but the situation is similar. The first time it happened, I lost my cool big time.  Why, because just like the Author of this thread, I had done my due diligence, had my receipts in hand. Our issue seemed to be the third person in the room for that brand did not have the drink package.  The representative said, "They don't get a drink package normally."  Hogwash and should not have been said because it was not true and made the guest feel even worse.  I get more angry. Finally, the rep said I will check. 

 

NOT the way to start a cruise.  Why do I share this, because in 20 minutes it was fixed with little or no fanfare or apology.  The next cruise something similar happened again.  This time, I handled it differently.  I was NOT upset, I simply smiled and said, "Stuff happens on a ship with thousand of guests.  You guy do a great job.  Just leave a message on my cabin phone when it is fixed."  No more anger on my part because I can get really angry when I a) checked ever box, b) crossed ever "T" and c) dotted every "i".  

 

Conclusion, you get more with sugar, a smile and a positive statement then with anger and I am NOT saying the author got angry.  I did get angry the first time.  Learn from not only my mistake but how I had a not so great first day on a cruise.  Lesson learned and it was a good one.  Do your best to take all avenues to resolve your dinner reservation pre-cruise, if on the cruise do as other shared and talk to the restaurant the day of your reservation, and go to the general manager if need be. In all cases, start with a smile, provide your receipts and ask to have it corrected and when it is done, call your cabin.  Then get a "Big O" martini and start enjoying your cruise. 

 

"Cruise well and enjoy every moment."

 

And if you choose anger/rudeness, then I don't believe of the subject of that is going to go out of their way to go out of their way for the rest of the trip. I have a wicked temper but keep it under control just in case it help me in the long run.

[clo]

7 hours ago, Redtravel said:

It has been resolved.  I was lucky that I had taken a screenshot of the dining reservations.  

And let's face it. In the long term this isn't even close to world peace.

[Tranquility Base]

6 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

Something's wrong with their system!

 

6 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

. Yes, it was resolved, but....

One thing I learnt in retirement (from a job where ' the small stuff ' was often safety critical ) is now... .... don't sweat the small stuff.

This extremely minor hiccup was easily resolved in a convivial manner.

That's all I want.

 

Someone else can worry about ''their system"

I'm on holiday.