Table for 2

[lawk]

First time Oceania cruiser - considering the Nautica. Any issues getting a table for 2 for dinner?

[basor]

Since everywhere except the specialty restaurants, meal time is open seating we have always been able to sit at a table for 2 when we desired.  You may have to wait a bit if you come during the first hour of dinner in the GDR.  The specially restaurants may be more difficult depending upon when you make your reservations.  If you are unable to book a table for 2 when you reservations open, do not hesitate to speak with the dinner reservation person onboard to see if you can change.

[Sny]

Never a problem for us

[MEFIowa]

Just keep in mind that for dinner you have:

 

1. GDR (no reservation)

2. TC (no reservation)

3. Polo Grill (reservation required)

4. Toscana (reservation required)

 

You will get at least 2 specialty reservations (one each) in advance. The earlier you make it in advance of the cruise the better. So make them on the first minute of the first hour of the first day you can.

 

IF you are in a G-B cabin, which get the last round to start making reservations, be prepared for 8:30 PM reservations.

[Harters]

We were on Nautica in the summer in a concierge cabin. Was able to book two-tops in the specialities with minimal issue - couldnt always get a table at a suitable time (7.30/8.00) on our first choice of day. Never had any wait in the GDR. 

[Snaefell3]

37 minutes ago, lawk said:

First time Oceania cruiser - considering the Nautica. Any issues getting a table for 2 for dinner?

Data point on the GDR ("Grand" instead of "Main" 🙄) from Regatta back in Mar '23:

 

Each evening, folks started lining up at the GDR podium at about 6:15pm and by 6:35 those that wanted window 2tops had gotten them and were seated.  Come much after 6:30 and you waited until a 2top had finished their meal.      YMMV!

[jondfk]

We’ve sailed O for 29 days, all on Regatta which is the same class of ship.  We typically head toward the GDR about 30 minutes after opening, never a problem with a two top.  Actually we had more trouble in TC on the few occasions we elected that option.

 

The only challenges we ever observed in the GDR was around the turnover point about 90 minutes after opening, at that time we saw short waits to be seated.

 

[edgee]

9 hours ago, Snaefell3 said:

Data point on the GDR ("Grand" instead of "Main" 🙄) from Regatta back in Mar '23:

 

Each evening, folks started lining up at the GDR podium at about 6:15pm and by 6:35 those that wanted window 2tops had gotten them and were seated.  Come much after 6:30 and you waited until a 2top had finished their meal.      YMMV!

THAT is huge disadvantage of O's four smaller "R" class ships. Never ever ever have had to wait for a table for two in GDR on larger O class shps or Vista.

[AMHuntFerry]

30 minutes ago, edgee said:

THAT is huge disadvantage of O's four smaller "R" class ships. Never ever ever have had to wait for a table for two in GDR on larger O class shps or Vista.

That has not been our experience on our three Regatta cruises in 2022-2023, but we tend to arrive between 7 and 8 pm. We have been asked if we will share although it is rare (maybe 10%?).

[edgee]

20 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

That has not been our experience on our three Regatta cruises in 2022-2023, but we tend to arrive between 7 and 8 pm. We have been asked if we will share although it is rare (maybe 10%?).

Yes, we tend to eat on the early side and have had to wait for table for two on R ships.

Edited January 23 by edgee

[WESTEAST]

58 minutes ago, edgee said:

THAT is huge disadvantage of O's four smaller "R" class ships. Never ever ever have had to wait for a table for two in GDR on larger O class shps or Vista.

It depends on the cruise and the night. Have sailed O class many times and as recently as last September when we did have to wait approximately 10 minutes for a 2 top. Last September, we were sitting waiting and the maître d'approached us and asked us if we would like to dine at Toscana instead and we accepted! 

Edited January 23 by WESTEAST

[edgee]

Just now, WESTEAST said:

It depends on the cruise and the night. Have sailed O class many times and as recently as last September when we did have to wait approximately 10 minutes for a 2 top. Last September, we were sitting waiting and the maître d'approached us and as us if we would like to dine at Toscana instead and we accepted! 

Interesting. We have never had an issue.

 

[clo]

4 hours ago, edgee said:

THAT is huge disadvantage of O's four smaller "R" class ships. Never ever ever have had to wait for a table for two in GDR on larger O class shps or Vista.

Wow. I'm just not that picky. Hey, I'm on vacation. "Lunch hour" isn't an issue 🙂

[Norseh2o]

We sail Concierge or PH on Oceania. If we forget to book at midnight (9:00pm Pacific time) for specialty dining, we have had trouble booking a 2-top at 6:30 or 7:00 on the R class (Insignia, Nautica, Regatta or Sirena) ships. 

[clo]

12 hours ago, Norseh2o said:

We sail Concierge or PH on Oceania. If we forget to book at midnight (9:00pm Pacific time) for specialty dining, we have had trouble booking a 2-top at 6:30 or 7:00 on the R class (Insignia, Nautica, Regatta or Sirena) ships. 

Okay. But that's not a huge problem, is it? We're generally down in "steerage" and don't need perfection. The food is just as a good 30 minutes later. At least IMneverHO 🙂

[Norseh2o]

9 hours ago, clo said:

Okay. But that's not a huge problem, is it? We're generally down in "steerage" and don't need perfection. The food is just as a good 30 minutes later. At least IMneverHO 🙂

Response is to multiple cc comments that it is easy to book specialty dining at your preferred date and time when online to book, not about cabin type. It is nice to have dinner earlier than 9pm IMneverHO 🙄

[MEFIowa]

5 hours ago, Norseh2o said:

Response is to multiple cc comments that it is easy to book specialty dining at your preferred date and time when online to book, not about cabin type. It is nice to have dinner earlier than 9pm IMneverHO 🙄

As we learned on our recent 20-night B2B on Riviera (10-11/2023) switching midway from an A3 to a B3 cabin, we could NOT get decent reservation times as a table for 2 even booking the specialty restaurants at midnight the opening hour! We could for the A3 concierge cabin, but not the B3. They even moved us up from the 9 pm one night to 8:30, as it didn't appear there is an actual 9 pm "time". The place is emptying out then. We saw very few arrive at 8:30 on the nights we had to. It seems highly possible that O gets the G-B cabin passengers to self-select away from later reservations. They may just not accept the times and go to GDR or TC or try a table for 4. But that's speculation based on our personal experience from this cruise.

[MEFIowa]

But having done the A3 part first, we had already been at all 4 specialty restaurants, so we knew what to do to expedite our dining at the 8:30 pm times. We'd tell the waitress up front "No bread" and we'd skip either the appetizer or dessert course and give her our entire order up front. That got us out around 9:30. When the place was all but empty. (We cruise for excursions, so we're normally in bed by 10 pm and up to get off right when we can the next morning.)

[Jim_Iain]

We are late diners and normally would not be going to dinner until 8:45 - 9:00  -   Will getting a table for 2 be difficult at that time?   We love a nice leisurely dinner and love that the dining room gets more quiet as the meal progresses.

 

[shepherd really]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

We are late diners and normally would not be going to dinner until 8:45 - 9:00  -   Will getting a table for 2 be difficult at that time?   We love a nice leisurely dinner and love that the dining room gets more quiet as the meal progresses.

 

Should be pretty easy, most of the alte kakers don't stay up that late.

 

[Acrusa]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

We are late diners and normally would not be going to dinner until 8:45 - 9:00  -   Will getting a table for 2 be difficult at that time?   We love a nice leisurely dinner and love that the dining room gets more quiet as the meal progresses.

 

over our past13 Oceania cruises we learned to arrive at around 7:15 at the GDR ask for 2 table by the window always a 10 to 15 minutes wait we go to the lounge  order our bottle of wine and they come and get us when table is ready .

[clo]

3 hours ago, shepherd really said:

alte kakers

Had to look that up and I love learning new things Thanks.

[Vallesan]

6 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

We are late diners and normally would not be going to dinner until 8:45 - 9:00  -   Will getting a table for 2 be difficult at that time?   We love a nice leisurely dinner and love that the dining room gets more quiet as the meal progresses.

 

You probably will find it easier to get a table for 2 later in the evenings but….it may not be as leisurely as you hope for.There are  likely to be very few diners and the crew may be eager to finish… not so leisurely?

[MEFIowa]

15 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

We are late diners and normally would not be going to dinner until 8:45 - 9:00  -   Will getting a table for 2 be difficult at that time? We love a nice leisurely dinner and love that the dining room gets more quiet as the meal progresses.

Do keep in mind that the specialty restaurants require a reservation. On Riviera 10-11/2023 we found that there really wasn't a 9 pm reservation. We had been forced to take a 9 pm reservation, but they changed that to 8:30 that day. The few last dinners arrived at 8:30. The restaurants emptying out around 9 pm, so weird experience. We don't like to eat late so for the 8:30 reservations we had to take off our B3 cabin (non-concierge), we skipped bread and/or appetizer or dessert, and told the waitress what we wanted up front, to expedite things. This got us out by 9:30. When the place was all but empty. (We did a 20-night B2B so our A3 concierge cabin got us earlier reservations on the 1st 10 night.)

 

NO reservation needed for the GDR or TC (the buffet).

[Redtravel]

Once you are onboard, you may be able to switch times or dates.  When you book a B ,C, or lower cabin, you may not find any tables for 2 when you reserve online. That’s ok if you like sharing a table. If you don’t like sharing, book a higher level cabin.  Be flexible.  If we find that the on,y option is a later time, we take it. On those days, we get something to eat in late afternoon.  Go to Tea, visit Baristas and the Bakery, or order room service.  Room service cheese plate is very nice.