Requested dinner reservations

[ORV]

2 hours ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

To open earlier, Oceania might have to juggle some assignments, as some of the crew members who work in the specialties work somewhere else before or after their job there. Of course, then there may be hardly anyone eating after 8, unless a particular cruise has an unusually high number of European guests. 

Yes, you have Tea between 4 & 5, many of those servers also are working in the various dining rooms around the ship. It would really rush those in Horizons and the behind the scenes workers from the Tea to finish up and then be ready for dinner. 

[pinotlover]

To change the topic slightly for the Newbies. What this discussion has illustrated clearly is that perhaps except for 7 day cruises, additional reservations in the Specialties are easy to come by. One just has to not be rigid in their habits and take an 8:00 or so eating time. As continually repeated here those restaurants are mostly empty by 8:30.

 

On another issue raised, dinners don’t have to be heavy affairs. First of all, being raised in the American South, we had dinner at 12:00-2:00. We then had a lighter supper early evening. Our main meal on Sundays is still Sunday Dinner, at around 2:00, with a light supper ( maybe only dessert) for supper. While cruising, we still have, on some days, our primary meal ashore during what’s referred to as lunch, then a much lighter dinner back aboard ship. Even when we do the Specialties, it’s most often the fish or veal selections which are much lighter by nature . I enjoy the prime rib in Polo Grill, but that’s a perhaps once a cruise thing.  Eating late heavy dinners is a personal choice . Plenty of options to eat well but not heavy.

[Cruising Maryland]

Dumb question, I've found it before, But where are the reservations and where does it tell you when they open uo?I'm not traveling until December, but want to be prepared.

[pinotlover]

15 minutes ago, Cruising Maryland said:

Dumb question, I've found it before, But where are the reservations and where does it tell you when they open uo?I'm not traveling until December, but want to be prepared.

1. Read your Oceania contract. Reservations opening date is plainly stated therein.

 

2. To make the reservations, you have to go to the Oceania website to manage your cruise, dining, and do it there.

[1985rz1]

20 minutes ago, Cruising Maryland said:

Dumb question, I've found it before, But where are the reservations and where does it tell you when they open uo?I'm not traveling until December, but want to be prepared.

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005477713-When-can-I-make-reservations-in-the-specialty-restaurant?

Edited Tuesday at 05:02 PM by 1985rz1

[ORV]

19 minutes ago, Cruising Maryland said:

Dumb question, I've found it before, But where are the reservations and where does it tell you when they open uo?I'm not traveling until December, but want to be prepared.

 

1 minute ago, pinotlover said:

1. Read your Oceania contract. Reservations opening date is plainly stated therein.

 

2. To make the reservations, you have to go to the Oceania website to manage your cruise, dining, and do it there.

To save time you can just log in to your Oceania account, choose all booked cruises and look to the right side for the to do list, #6 is Dining Reservations with the date when they open. 

[Cruising Maryland]

Thank you everyone. I'm still a ways away from being able to make reservations. Final payment isn'y due until next week.

[clo]

2 hours ago, Harters said:

progressive

Well, that's certainly one word. I'm with you. "Swinger" has a certain connotation.

[EJL2023]

2 hours ago, Harters said:

Thanks for the link, EJL. 

 

If I've read that thread correctly,  the whole ship had been booked for the swingers. That's something of a relief that I'm not likely to be propositioned in Baristas on our next cruise. 

Yes, was a whole ship cruise. Now there was some worry from those on the cruise immediately following!

[mb777]

4 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Bingo!!!

 

The Social Director, and Oceania , are correct. If dining started at 5:00, many cruises would indeed be ghost ships by 7:30. This is much like my aunt’s assisted living facility, but wait! 🙄 That would turn many off.

Not sure many of us expect dining to begin at 5, however 6 would certainly be a huge improvement and possibly open up some 6:30 slots.  Happy hour 5-6, dinner 6-8 (yes, it took 2 hours each meal), Martini's after dinner, shopping at the boutique, maybe casino for some, then 9:30 show doesn't sound like a ghost ship to me.

[sunlover12]

31 minutes ago, mb777 said:

Not sure many of us expect dining to begin at 5, however 6 would certainly be a huge improvement and possibly open up some 6:30 slots.  Happy hour 5-6, dinner 6-8 (yes, it took 2 hours each meal), Martini's after dinner, shopping at the boutique, maybe casino for some, then 9:30 show doesn't sound like a ghost ship to me.

+1

My experience has been that the ship doesn't start quieting down until 10:30 when the show is over. Especially if there is a guest performer that night, it is packed. 

 

On my last O cruise which was summer 2023, the casino and Martinis was standing room only after the show.  I left at 11:00 and it was still going strong.  Depends on the demographics of the cruise. 

[pinotlover]

3 hours ago, sunlover12 said:

Depends on the demographics of the cruise. 

 Exactly! Demographics on any cruise can swing dramatically. It’s currently a Forest Gump “ Box of Chocolates “. 
 

Even though we wouldn’t be interested, it would be interesting to see how many would sign up for an Oceania Geriatric Cruise. The reception may be tremendous, or? 🤔

[clo]

45 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Oceania Geriatric Cruise.

I wonder which age group is the largest on O.

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

I'm not sure how "geriatric" is interpreted or defined.  All I know is that I'm fine with a "Box of Chocolates" cruise.  The destinations/itinerary are much more important to me in choosing a cruise or cruise line than who I'll be cruising with. As long as there's room for differing ages, likes, etc. I'll be fine.  

[pinotlover]

12 hours ago, clo said:

I wonder which age group is the largest on O.

A question, but not the important question. That is “ whom is Oceania wanting to attract?” That group that doesn’t buy drinks, go on ship tours, and biggest ship board activity is the knitting/yarning/gossip group; or a different group that does indeed hit the Happy Hours, does after dinner drinks, and goes on those expensive excursions?

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

19 hours ago, Cruising Maryland said:

Thank you everyone. I'm still a ways away from being able to make reservations. Final payment isn'y due until next week.

I guess you're doing a number of cruises back to back. I've only done one of those, and I forget how  reservations were handled. But I'm sure someone else will know.  In any case, I just thought I'd mention that you may only be able to make reservations for one cruise at a time.  In my opinion, it's fairer that way, but of course some people may disagree.

[clo]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

A question, but not the important question. That is “ whom is Oceania wanting to attract?” That group that doesn’t buy drinks, go on ship tours, and biggest ship board activity is the knitting/yarning/gossip group; or a different group that does indeed hit the Happy Hours, does after dinner drinks, and goes on those expensive excursions?

#2. And I think all companies that sell to the public are going for that group. My group (don't know yours) is going to croak before terribly long and they need to have the younger ones (40-50s?) on board - so to speak. IMneverHO of course.

[Cruising Maryland]

1 hour ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

I guess you're doing a number of cruises back to back. I've only done one of those, and I forget how  reservations were handled. But I'm sure someone else will know.  In any case, I just thought I'd mention that you may only be able to make reservations for one cruise at a time.  In my opinion, it's fairer that way, but of course some people may disagree.

I'm doing a Grand Cruise Miami to Rio, it is 3 cruises basically bur O marketed it as a Grand cruise, So I'm not sure if the segments open up differently. My guess is that they will all open up at the same time. 

[clo]

2 hours ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

I guess you're doing a number of cruises back to back. I've only done one of those, and I forget how  reservations were handled. But I'm sure someone else will know.  In any case, I just thought I'd mention that you may only be able to make reservations for one cruise at a time.  In my opinion, it's fairer that way, but of course some people may disagree.

That's what we had. The res was linked to the start date of the cruise(s).

[Harters]

1 hour ago, clo said:

My group (don't know yours) is going to croak before terribly long and they need to have the younger ones (40-50s?) on board

I agree. Capture them when they are younger so you can keep them longer. The greater inclusivity into the price of Simply More is part of that. As is the "almost retirement" for Pepin which in turn is related to the replacement of Jacques on Vista with Ember and the expansion of the Waves service into the evening. Whether it works or needs further adjustment is another question 

[Cruising Maryland]

46 minutes ago, clo said:

That's what we had. The res was linked to the start date of the cruise(s).

Thanks, I know when I checked my account I was shocked at how many restaurant reservations it listed, can't make them yet, but I have a lot. So rhat makes me think I can make them all at once when the window opens.

[clo]

28 minutes ago, Cruising Maryland said:

Thanks, I know when I checked my account I was shocked at how many restaurant reservations it listed, can't make them yet, but I have a lot. So rhat makes me think I can make them all at once when the window opens.

AFAIK you can only make the reservations based on the dates of each cruise, not the whole trip. We only had two cruises and the dates for making our res was about ten days apart.

 

[EJL2023]

3 minutes ago, clo said:

AFAIK you can only make the reservations based on the dates of each cruise, not the whole trip. We only had two cruises and the dates for making our res was about ten days apart.

 

Did you book as b2b and received two cruise credits, or as a Grand Journey with only one cruise credit(assuming total days under 25) with regard to the loyalty program? I am not sure, but I’m thinking that could have an impact on when/how many reservations can be made when it opens 

[pinotlover]

55 minutes ago, Harters said:

I agree. Capture them when they are younger so you can keep them longer. The greater inclusivity into the price of Simply More is part of that. As is the "almost retirement" for Pepin which in turn is related to the replacement of Jacques on Vista with Ember and the expansion of the Waves service into the evening. Whether it works or needs further adjustment is another question 

Agree also. Just hypothetically, which group do you believe is squawking for earlier dinners? As a working stiff, 6:30 was always a nice target to get home, or at least get out of the office. Then an adult beverage and relax before I’d even consider eating. Eat at 5:00-6:00!! Who does that? Uh, group1. 
 

My favorite river cruise line, Uniworld, doesn’t start dinner until 7:00. Maybe that’s one reason they have a different demographics. People flying 7 or 14 time zones don’t feel the need to follow the exact routine they do at home.

[clo]

3 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

As a working stiff, 6:30 was always a nice target to get home, or at least get out of the office. Then an adult beverage and relax before I’d even consider eating. Eat at 5:00-6:00!! Who does that? Uh, group1.

Really good point. And I'll add to that by saying that you have to cook dinner. Were there more SAHM (stay at home moms) who were taking care of that? Certainly not any I hung out with. We've aimed for 730 (the dog eats at 7!) and now it's edging out to more like 8. On a cruise 630 or 700 is desirable as the meals last longer. Informative thread.