Little bit (small bit) of humor

[Mura]

I think I agree with Paul regarding treating Privee somewhat as a Chinese banquet where there are lots of dishes available for the participants.  Mostly I agree with his point about people liking meats cooked to a different degree.  As to beef, I like mine rare, my husband likes medium well.  It's always difficult when I make a roast as to which one of us will be pleased.

 

It's not that I'm saying "what a lousy idea" because I am not.  Nor did Paul.  I can see where there will be groups (as Pinot said) who love the idea, and others who wouldn't be so happy with it.

 

And lest anyone think I'm opposed to a Chinese banquet -- far from it.  For many years we organized trips to NYC's Chinatown where that was exactly what we did.

 

Then again, neither do I think this is worth a battle ...

 

Mura

 

 

[EasyGoingGuy]

I'm feeling sorry I started "Little bit (small bit) of humor.  🙁
 

[pinotlover]

I agree and apologize.

[Paulchili]

2 hours ago, pinotlover said:

I agree and apologize.

As do I.

[Paulchili]

3 hours ago, Mura said:

As to beef, I like mine rare, my husband likes medium well.  It's always difficult when I make a roast as to which one of us will be pleased.

Can't you make it rare and then microwave (or sear) his piece to med well? Once it's med well it's already ruined anyway 😀

[Hawaiidan]

13 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Can't you make it rare and then microwave (or sear) his piece to med well? Once it's med well it's already ruined anyway 😀

In many of the high end restaurants and in many European ones, I have always left the cooking level chosen by the chef to select to compliment the cut and product..    Some, in France ,will not give you the option as it is integral for the flavor of the dish.  They would rather not serve it as an inferior, dish and an embarrassment to the kitchen to let such a thing out.      

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

28 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

In many of the high end restaurants and in many European ones, I have always left the cooking level chosen by the chef to select to compliment the cut and product..    Some, in France ,will not give you the option as it is integral for the flavor of the dish.  They would rather not serve it as an inferior, dish and an embarrassment to the kitchen to let such a thing out.      

 

In one of my most favorite restaurants (though closed the last time I checked), New World Home Cooking in Saugerties NY, chef/owner Ric Orlando's menu displayed the traditional "heat" (spiciness) of preparation with 1-5 🌶 s next to the description. An added note stated that the dishes would always be prepared that way unless the diner requested more or less "heat."

 

FWIW, my favorite dish at Ric's was the Thai Bolognese. 

 

Since it's been almost a decade since I was upstate in NY, I'm not sure if he still has his Albany restaurant.

[Cliff-FLL]

Good heavens!  If I wanted to run around sharing food platters with other people, I'd have dinner at Golden Corral buffet -- or go to my sister's place for Thanksgiving.  (FYI, I've done both and neither will ever happen again.)

 

Not too sure why a previous poster would have had trouble paying for Privée in advance using OBC.  We always reserve it well in advance and always pay with OBC.  Ditto cooking classes, La Réserve, and tours.

[LHT28]

34 minutes ago, Cliff-FLL said:

Not too sure why a previous poster would have had trouble paying for Privée in advance using OBC.  We always reserve it well in advance and always pay with OBC.  Ditto cooking classes, La Réserve, and tours.

Paying in advance  with OBC only happened in the past year or so

Maybe you were not sailing with O before the change

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/media/2018/OCEANIA+CRUISES+UNVEILS+NEW+GUEST+EXPERIENCE+ENHANCEMENTS+-+More+Convenient+Ways+to+Plan%2c+Save%2c+Spend%2c+and+Travel+are+part+of+OceaniaNEXT/

[Cliff-FLL]

47 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Paying in advance  with OBC only happened in the past year or so

Maybe you were not sailing with O before the change

I've been sailing with Oceania for more than 10 years and have been renting Privée since 2011.  I know we always had the option of paying with a credit card but would've sworn we paid for some of them using OBC.  Maybe I'm mistaken.  (The brain isn't what it used to be and the rest isn't far behind.)😁

[Flatbush Flyer]

27 minutes ago, Cliff-FLL said:

I've been sailing with Oceania for more than 10 years and have been renting Privée since 2011.  I know we always had the option of paying with a credit card but would've sworn we paid for some of them using OBC.  Maybe I'm mistaken.  (The brain isn't what it used to be and the rest isn't far behind.)😁

In the last MAJOR upgrade to the O website about 2 years ago, a far more intuitive Cart for purchases was introduced (e.g., it can assign payments for tours organizationally to best save you out-of-pocket payment).

Part of that overhaul involved listing the sources of any SBC provided by Oceania (Including O Club loyalty $). What is not listed is any SBC provided by TAs. And, initially, that SBC would automatically be applied to online purchases (with balance due requiring a CC charge.

Recently, an option function was added for the use of that Oceania SBC thus giving you the choice of applying it to the purchases or putting it all on your CC.

[Queen of DaNile]

1 hour ago, Cliff-FLL said:

I've been sailing with Oceania for more than 10 years and have been renting Privée since 2011.  I know we always had the option of paying with a credit card but would've sworn we paid for some of them using OBC.  Maybe I'm mistaken.  (The brain isn't what it used to be and the rest isn't far behind.)😁

I think your brain is correct. We used OBC to pay for Privee in 2015.

[Paulchili]

2 hours ago, Cliff-FLL said:

Not too sure why a previous poster would have had trouble paying for Privée in advance using OBC.  We always reserve it well in advance and always pay with OBC.  Ditto cooking classes, La Réserve, and tours.

Like Lyn said, you may not remember it but it wasn't that long ago that you couldn't pay for anything with OBC until go were onboard.

Maybe you prepaid with a CC and then changed it to OBC (like we used to do with shore excursions).

Edited September 12, 2020 by Paulchili

[LHT28]

3 hours ago, Queen of DaNile said:

I think your brain is correct. We used OBC to pay for Privee in 2015.

Before you boarded??

We had to pay by CC for our cooking classes  before boading but  did book one while onboard  & paid with our OBC

 

[LHT28]

4 hours ago, Cliff-FLL said:

I've been sailing with Oceania for more than 10 years and have been renting Privée since 2011.  I know we always had the option of paying with a credit card but would've sworn we paid for some of them using OBC.  Maybe I'm mistaken.  (The brain isn't what it used to be and the rest isn't far behind.)😁

Did you see the link I posted ?

Nice that you had a big OBC to pay the $1000 fee back then