Tweaking the menu on the Viking Orion and other ships.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2018/06/17/viking-cruises-restaurants-cuisine-culinary-program-ambitious/708427002/

Looks like the chefs are not resting on their laurels, but paying attention to response of passengers and more new offerings.. Love the changing up of the menu even im Manfredi.

Interesting. Looking forward to hearing more. We stopped playing the “specialty restaurant” roulette on our last cruise and decided to stick with the main restaurant. We were able to order any specialty items there, so no loss and no need to try and coordinate multiple people making the same arrangements.

Interesting, thanks for posting.

On our recent cruise we ate at the speciality restaurants 11 nights out of 14 and enjoyed all of them. Great quality and small portions which we like.

I did have a burger one lunchtime which was really good but I couldn’t eat all that bread. People were asking for only half a bun or no bun, so good they are reducing the size of that.

The one night we ate at the World Cafe I had the sushi/sashimi which was so fresh and tasty.

Oh and I only gained 2lbs on a two week cruise, so there’s a result!

There is just one problem with the chefs table an that is while they are putting all this work into paring the wines to their set menu of the day not every couple dining like the same things. Luckily on our night the menu was meat based, I don’t eat fish but my husband loves fish. We noticed many of the days had a lot of fish so it would have been a waste of time us going. Yes they will swap a dish if asked but that kind of defeats the point of the concept. I don’t have a sweet tooth at all and they made up a cheese plate for me for desert, luckily the wine pared for desert was port.

Everything they served was expertly crafted but it wasn’t my favourite dining experience, my husband however raved about it.

There is just one problem with the chefs table an that is while they are putting all this work into paring the wines to their set menu of the day not every couple dining like the same things. Luckily on our night the menu was meat based, I don’t eat fish but my husband loves fish. We noticed many of the days had a lot of fish so it would have been a waste of time us going. Yes they will swap a dish if asked but that kind of defeats the point of the concept. I don’t have a sweet tooth at all and they made up a cheese plate for me for desert, luckily the wine pared for desert was port.

Everything they served was expertly crafted but it wasn’t my favourite dining experience, my husband however raved about it.

You could substitute the dish you don't like with whatever and they will pair wine with it and your husband will have his own. They'll be glad to make both of you happy.

Thank you for posting. I will be on Orion July 7th and I’m interested in any tips or info for the ship. Is gym access included? I loved Crystal symphony and thought the food and small size was great.

Our first Viking sailing will be on the Star in October. We can make dining reservations 75 days in advance, but with menus changing frequently how to choose the best nights for specialties? Do they post menus in advance? Is it to hard make changes once aboard? Would appreciate any suggestions.

Our first Viking sailing will be on the Star in October. We can make dining reservations 75 days in advance, but with menus changing frequently how to choose the best nights for specialties? Do they post menus in advance? Is it to hard make changes once aboard? Would appreciate any suggestions.

Dining reservations are interesting. Being in a V cabin on both my cruises, I was never able to make advanced reservations. The only place you 'need' to make advance reservations for are the specialty restaurants. Sometimes, not even too far ahead there but that is the 'official' action. Manfredi's menu does not change so it will always be the same. Chef's Table does change every 2 days and the day you board may not be the first day of that rotation so you will need to verify with them upon boarding. According to TellUs there is no way to know what the menu will be until you board. That being said, someone on this site recently posted what and when the rotation would be on their up coming cruise. Who's correct? It depends on who you ask. At corporate they don't always know what is happening on the ship, only the information they are given.

Since I have not been able to make reservations before boarding, I have always boarded by 11:30 on embarkation day. At the World Cafe, there is a stand as you enter the port side of the venue. They will have a schedule and copies of all menus. Look them over and decide. If you can prebook, there will only be a certain number of reservations you can book but once on board, anything that is available is up for grabs.

Some people are not adventurous and don't want to go too far out of there comfort zone so the Asian type menus seem to be the hardest to get if you wait so you might keep that in mind. On the first cruise the menu changed every 3 days and there were no dietary restrictions so booking was easy. We booked last day of first rotation when they opened that evening. We liked it and booked for the next night before we left the restaurant, Upon completion that evening we made reservations for all the menus during our cruise. On the most recent cruise, with the menu changing every 2 days and someone did have restrictions it seem to be a bit more difficult. Of the 6 menus, we only did 3---------couldn't get in the Asian nights because we didn't book early. Also, with the restrictions, menus for the restaurant appeared at our door every morning when we headed to breakfast. You fill them out, if there are restrictions and return them to the restaurant by 9:00 that morning. If restrictions are your thing, they track you, regardless of where you eat and make necessary adjustments.

If you can only make one reservation before you board, I would suggest Manfredi's, as their menu does not change. If you can make more, then you can try Chef's Table but you might have to adjust, depending on you preferences, once on board.

Keep this in mind: you are on Viking so there is no charge for these restaurants. If you don't like it, drop by World Cafe afterwards. There is nothing to lose. You are on a cruise and this is filled with different experiences you don't get at home on a regular basis so indulge and make the most of the opportunity. I think it was Auntie Mame that said, "Life is a banquet and most poor SOB's are starving to death". Speedy said "Try it, you'll like it". I don't eat like this normally but I really like doing this while on the cruise.

Thanks Dauntless,

We are accustomed to a larger ship environment where you book early or get shut out. Therefore try to get all our planning done before we sail. Without advance menus we'll just roll the dice on our two advance Chef Table reservations (PV2) and adjust on board if necessary. Not picky eaters so I know we'll be fine.

Thanks Dauntless,

 

We are accustomed to a larger ship environment where you book early or get shut out. Therefore try to get all our planning done before we sail. Without advance menus we'll just roll the dice on our two advance Chef Table reservations (PV2) and adjust on board if necessary. Not picky eaters so I know we'll be fine.

FYI---Word on the ship may be that the specialties are all booked up. This happened late in our first cruise. We had eaten at Manfredi's during the cruise but it was a party in the private dining and we got to thinking that we had not really experienced the restaurant so 4 days left on the cruise and I went to the location and told them of our interest. I was assured that they were indeed fully booked but a look at the reservations and I was told to come back at a particular night when they opened because we could not make a reservation. We were seated immediately and a vast amount of the restaurant was empty until we were about to leave. They apparently knew from the reservations that it could happen but the machine didn't.

Our first Viking sailing will be on the Star in October. We can make dining reservations 75 days in advance, but with menus changing frequently how to choose the best nights for specialties? Do they post menus in advance? Is it to hard make changes once aboard? Would appreciate any suggestions.

When you go in to make your dining reservations at the 75 day mark, menus for the Chef’s Table will be posted for every night of your cruise. It’s easy to click on a day and that name of that day’s menu will pop up. Click on the name, and you’ll get a course-by-course listing. This lets you make a reservation for a night or nights on which the menu most appeals to your taste.

When you go in to make your dining reservations at the 75 day mark, menus for the Chef’s Table will be posted for every night of your cruise. It’s easy to click on a day and that name of that day’s menu will pop up. Click on the name, and you’ll get a course-by-course listing. This lets you make a reservation for a night or nights on which the menu most appeals to your taste.

Thanks, that's a big help.