Manfredi’s and Chef’s Table Already full?

[longterm]

12 minutes ago, eel said:

 

 

We are also on the same cruise!

I had an online chat session with customer service today and after doing some checking, she seemed to think that specialty dining had not really opened up yet for our sailing. I can see one reservation at Chef's Table  available at 9 PM so that seems odd. She said we should just book on board. So I asked how we do that and she really did not know! She suggested we just ask someone in the dining area. Not very specific! 

 

If anyone can suggest how we can book specialty dining on board, that would be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

Same thing happened to us for our upcoming cruise to Italy on March 5th; I kept checking every day and every once in a while an opening would appear; I was able to add a Manfredi's reservation but was never able to add my 2nd Chef's Table reservation--will make a beeline to the reservations desk outside the WC when we get on board.

[Moonlion]

18 minutes ago, eel said:

 

 

We are also on the same cruise!

I had an online chat session with customer service today and after doing some checking, she seemed to think that specialty dining had not really opened up yet for our sailing. I can see one reservation at Chef's Table  available at 9 PM so that seems odd. She said we should just book on board. So I asked how we do that and she really did not know! She suggested we just ask someone in the dining area. Not very specific! 

 

If anyone can suggest how we can book specialty dining on board, that would be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

Easy peasy.. on your first or second day on cruise, go to guest services or restaurant reservations on Deck 1 to book reservations at Manfredi or Chefs Table.  Pre-cruise, I couldn't find any reservations before 9 pm but, once onboard, there were plenty of times available.  Later in cruise, we could even get same-day reservations for Manfredi or CT.  

[eel]

18 minutes ago, Moonlion said:

Easy peasy.. on your first or second day on cruise, go to guest services or restaurant reservations on Deck 1 to book reservations at Manfredi or Chefs Table.  Pre-cruise, I couldn't find any reservations before 9 pm but, once onboard, there were plenty of times available.  Later in cruise, we could even get same-day reservations for Manfredi or CT.  

Thanks! First time on Viking.

If they have availability can you go to the specialty restaurants more than once each?

[JeriGail]

2 minutes ago, eel said:

Thanks! First time on Viking.

If they have availability can you go to the specialty restaurants more than once each?

Yes!  We went twice to each, but could have done more.

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, eel said:

If anyone can suggest how we can book specialty dining on board, that would be appreciated.

 

 

Lots of options once onboard:

• Viking app on a phone
• Purser's office
• Booking desk by WC
• Cabin telly

Many nights you can just turn up and they can probably fit you in, but might need to wait.

[broker1217]

I am on Orion now and we could not book prior to embarkation due to our cabin category. We booked 6 Chefs Table and one Manfredi’s reservation while we did our in room quarantine, awaiting negative test results from our first saliva test. About 500 people on board and we got reservations for 2 at 6PM for all.

Manfredi’s seems more popular so you may need a little more flexibility on times for that.

 

[CCWineLover]

4 hours ago, broker1217 said:

I am on Orion now and we could not book prior to embarkation due to our cabin category. We booked 6 Chefs Table and one Manfredi’s reservation while we did our in room quarantine, awaiting negative test results from our first saliva test. About 500 people on board and we got reservations for 2 at 6PM for all.

Manfredi’s seems more popular so you may need a little more flexibility on times for that.

 

Agree with you!  On our December TA cruise, we had no problems getting reservations when we were onboard.  Especially at 6 or 6:30.  The popular times were around 7 to 7:30.   They told us that during these COVID times, they are not offering up all the reservations that could be possible, but instead allowing guests to have access to them when they board.  Makes sense.  And as such, people shouldn't stress much at all about reserving anything ahead of time.   We are not even planning on making reservations - what's the point if only 9:00 is open?  We'd just have to cancel them.

We've even just walked down to Chef's Table at 6 PM without a reservation and asked them to put is in when they could - and never waited more than 15-20 minutes.

[millybess]

CC, if you are leaving in April, for your Fjord cruise (I hope I have that right), do you have access to the Chef's Table menus for your trip?  If yes, would it be possible for you to post the menus?  The menus are not available on MVJ for us. The site just states "sample menu coming soon". 

[Peregrina651]

On 2/8/2022 at 11:33 PM, Nonnie1975 said:

OK  I am a dummy!  I forgot and didn't make any reservations for the Main Restaurant.  No judging, I am already beating myself up.  So are my husband and I in deep doo-doo about eating at night time.  I am new at this.

 

Not as of when we sailed in December. But then again were about 350 pax on board. Just walk in and you will be seated. I didn't bother to make any reservations. And, of, course, there is always the buffet for dinner (sushi and seafood every night).

 

On 2/7/2022 at 2:50 PM, claranda said:

Our suite level gives us three reservations for each of the speciality restaurants, so when reservations opened I made the six bookings - for a seven night cruise!

 

The cabin perks program was designed before they started offering 7 night cruises.

 

In general, ease of getting reservations, especially on board, depends on two things: length of cruise and number of passengers. 

 

When you go to make your Chef's Table reservation, book Day 1, Day 4 and Day 7, that way you won't have the same meal twice (menu changes every three days and is independent of the arrival and departure of passengers). If you only get one reservation, book Day 1 and then book Days 4 and 7 when you board. Then book anything you want for Manfredi's.  Reservations can always be cancelled.

 

Reservations for MDR are a post-Covid thing. We did for our first 2021 cruise but showed up whenever we wanted. On that basis, we didn't bother to book any reservations for our second post-C sailing. However, both of these cruises were less than half full, so as far as I am concerned, it is hard to draw conclusions as to what the future will bring.

 

 

 

[Peregrina651]

On 2/19/2022 at 7:48 PM, eel said:

 

 

We are also on the same cruise!

I had an online chat session with customer service today and after doing some checking, she seemed to think that specialty dining had not really opened up yet for our sailing. I can see one reservation at Chef's Table  available at 9 PM so that seems odd. She said we should just book on board. So I asked how we do that and she really did not know! She suggested we just ask someone in the dining area. Not very specific! 

 

If anyone can suggest how we can book specialty dining on board, that would be appreciated.

 

 

HUACA: Hang up and call again.  It is the best way to deal with call centers these days.

 

First, somewhere on your Viking invoice it will list when specialty restaurant reservations open; it is more accurate than the call center.

 

Once you find the date on the invoice and as long as you are more than a week from the start of your journey, call Viking and ask for help. Tell them you are new and are having trouble with the process and need help. If the person who answered the phone, can't help you make the reservations, thank them politely, hang up, count to 60 slowly and then dial again. Keep calling until you find someone who is willing to help you (they do exist).

 

 

Edited February 21, 2022 by Peregrina651

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, millybess said:

CC, if you are leaving in April, for your Fjord cruise (I hope I have that right), do you have access to the Chef's Table menus for your trip?  If yes, would it be possible for you to post the menus?  The menus are not available on MVJ for us. The site just states "sample menu coming soon". 

Yes we are leaving April 21.  The Manfredi's Sample Menu is available but not Chef's Table.  In fact, both of them say (with 60 days to go) that you must get reservations onboard instead of advance reservations.  Not worried.  Viking no doubt has held back quite a bit of spots.

 

The Chef’s Table

SAMPLE MENU (COMING SOON)

 

Manfredis Sample Menu - Feb 2022.pdf

Edited February 21, 2022 by CCWineLover

[cabogal]

On 2/7/2022 at 1:06 AM, The-Inside-Cabin said:

My cruise on the Orion is in April and I was notified that I could make reservations at  Manfredi’s and Chef’s Table starting at 8 PM Pacific Time today, Feb 6th.   

 

I log onto my viking journey at 11 pm and discover that there are ZERO times available for any specialty restaurant any day of the 8 day cruise.  ( April 17-25)  We are in a Penthouse Veranda which gives us a jump on other categories, but I guess there are other categories above us.   

 

Does this sound right that every specialty restaurant would have zero available times 3 hours after my window opened?

 

This is our first Viking Cruise

 

Thanks

 

We are on the Orion on April 25 and February 24th was the day I could make reservations. I tried all day on the 24th and every day since and it always tells me "reservations are not available at this time."  I talked to a Viking Rep and she told me that the tables for 2 were already booked and she wouldn't let me book a table for 4 unless there were 4 in our party.  She told me to make reservations on board.  I had made the Restaurant reservations, but when I tried to cancel one it said "Cancel failed." It won't let me cancel any reservations.  I guess it's time to speak to a Rep again.

[JeriGail]

28 minutes ago, cabogal said:

We are on the Orion on April 25 and February 24th was the day I could make reservations. I tried all day on the 24th and every day since and it always tells me "reservations are not available at this time."  I talked to a Viking Rep and she told me that the tables for 2 were already booked and she wouldn't let me book a table for 4 unless there were 4 in our party.  She told me to make reservations on board.  I had made the Restaurant reservations, but when I tried to cancel one it said "Cancel failed." It won't let me cancel any reservations.  I guess it's time to speak to a Rep again.

If you have a reservation in The Restaurant, you must cancel it BEFORE you can make a reservation in an alternate restaurant.  I know you said you tried to cancel, so that issue needs to be addressed first.  Viking needs to be clearer in their directions so that passengers know about canceling The Restaurant bookings first.  For us, making The Restaurant reservations were a waste and were never needed.  It was also very easy to get dining spots at Manfredi's or the Chef's Table once on board so don't stress about this.

[Lornaburg]

On 2/20/2022 at 12:48 AM, eel said:

 

 

We are also on the same cruise!

I had an online chat session with customer service today and after doing some checking, she seemed to think that specialty dining had not really opened up yet for our sailing. I can see one reservation at Chef's Table  available at 9 PM so that seems odd. She said we should just book on board. So I asked how we do that and she really did not know! She suggested we just ask someone in the dining area. Not very specific! 

 

If anyone can suggest how we can book specialty dining on board, that would be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

You just walk up to the desk in the entrance to the restaurant and book a table. 

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, Lornaburg said:

You just walk up to the desk in the entrance to the restaurant and book a table. 

 

Except that those desks are only manned during meal hours. 

 

To make reservations at any time during the day, you can use the Viking Voyager App from your mobile device, use the television in your cabin or visit Guest Services on Deck1.  I prefer dealing with a person, so I head to Guest Services.  

 

At dinner time, you can try for a last minute reservation in Manfredi's or Chef's Table by checking at the restaurant desk. The more people on board, especially on the shortest itineraries, the harder it may be to get a walk-in reservation.  Plus, each sailing has its own vibe.  There is no pattern for when the dining rooms are busiest or for which venue guests will favor.

 

 

[jtwind]

On 2/20/2022 at 7:00 PM, Peregrina651 said:

 

In general, ease of getting reservations, especially on board, depends on two things: length of cruise and number of passengers. 

And since covid, the capacity of the dining venue.  If the nice folks at Viking didn't think things through properly, they could possibly get into a situation where they increased passengers without bringing venue capacity back up.  That would be a little messy.

[PGI GUY]

We have just finished two Viking cruises a 14 day and a 32 day. We had about 500 passengers on each. We never had a problem with eating in the Restaurant without a reservation in fact they said reservations are not needed in the restaurant. If there was a wait it was very brief. We had several meals in both specialty restaurants if you were a bit flexible. I was told several times that Viking only releases 50 % of the available reservations prior to boarding.

On both of our recent cruises there was a specialty restaurant reservations desk open during the day on deck one and that person would help you make a reservation.

Do not worry about the main restaurant for dinner reservations, just show up and you will be fine.

[steve ch]

Not a good first impression! Dinner reservations for my first cruise with Viking just opened up this morning, and the only time available for specialty restaurants is 9:00pm on day one, when, due to the arrival time of our Viking booked flights, we will be sitting in our stateroom waiting for the results of our Covid tests.

 

I'm not too worried, as hopefully we'll be able to book tables on board, but, come on Viking! There should be at least one slot available that we can physically make! It doesn't show a very high regard for your guests.

[Eggtuary]

11 minutes ago, steve ch said:

Not a good first impression! Dinner reservations for my first cruise with Viking just opened up this morning, and the only time available for specialty restaurants is 9:00pm on day one, when, due to the arrival time of our Viking booked flights, we will be sitting in our stateroom waiting for the results of our Covid tests.

 

I'm not too worried, as hopefully we'll be able to book tables on board, but, come on Viking! There should be at least one slot available that we can physically make! It doesn't show a very high regard for your guests.

Did you already book reservations for the main dining room (The Restaurant) every day?  If so, those could be preventing you from booking the specialty restaurants, as My Viking Journey won’t allow you to book conflicting times. 

[jtwind]

Can anyone who has been on a Viking cruise with 700 or greater since covid spacing in dining rooms was implemented, share their experiences about access to dining venues?

[Peregrina651]

5 hours ago, steve ch said:

Not a good first impression! Dinner reservations for my first cruise with Viking just opened up this morning, and the only time available for specialty restaurants is 9:00pm on day one, when, due to the arrival time of our Viking booked flights, we will be sitting in our stateroom waiting for the results of our Covid tests.

 

I'm not too worried, as hopefully we'll be able to book tables on board, but, come on Viking! There should be at least one slot available that we can physically make! It doesn't show a very high regard for your guests.

 

Right now is a lousy time for first impressions for any cruise line.

 

If you have an MDR reservation already made when you go to make specialty reservations, it will read the MDR reservation as a conflict and only you show the 9pm seatings.  You have to delete the MDR reservation before you try to make a reservation for the specialty restaurant.  Also, the word on the street is that Viking is only releasing 50% of the seats for advanced booking.

 

Currently, the reality is that MDR reservations are not necessary; most sailings thus far are around 50% full. This will change as more people return to cruise travel. On the two cruises we have done since the restart, there were less than 400 people on board and the on board staff didn't even bother with the reservations we dutifully made.

[CILCIANRQTS]

This poor horse is SOOOOOO dead!! 😉😎🎠

[uktog]

15 hours ago, jtwind said:

Can anyone who has been on a Viking cruise with 700 or greater since covid spacing in dining rooms was implemented, share their experiences about access to dining venues?

Has any ship sailed at 700+

[uktog]

11 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

This poor horse is SOOOOOO dead!! 😉😎🎠

Which restaurant will they have it on the menu and what night as I will HAVE to book the other for then 

[CILCIANRQTS]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Which restaurant will they have it on the menu and what night as I will HAVE to book the other for then 

Just look for hors d’oeuvres on the menu! 😁