Dining Reservations No Longer Guaranteed

[CDR2001]

We had a dining reservation issue for two couples, and the helpful Chat agent took care of it for us. She reserved Manfredi’s on a night other than our original request, but it’s ok! You might give that a try. I do know that sometimes the Chat box doesn’t always come up, but I’ve had great results with them when I can access it. Good luck. 

[purpleally]

On 7/24/2022 at 4:14 PM, Twitchly said:

Wow. So every single table for two was booked in both restaurants at every time period for the entire cruise? Nothing at 8 pm, even? Are they short-staffed or what? 
 

If they can’t accommodate you once you’re on board, they need to offer you a very nice consolation prize. And they need to change their marketing.

Does that mean we would be forced to eat with strangers at a table bigger than two?  Not our thing

[WNcruiser]

On 7/24/2022 at 12:07 PM, Mich3554 said:

Being able to make a reservation on board is still an advanced reservation.  If you get shut out of a reservation once onboard, then there is a problem.  But I don’t see how making a guaranteed reservation NOW complies with their promise.

Have to disagree with you on this. The description specifically states guaranteed restaurant reservation “60 days prior to departure”. So yes, they are not honoring their description.

 

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, purpleally said:

Does that mean we would be forced to eat with strangers at a table bigger than two?  Not our thing

 

 

NO!!!!

[shadowlover]

3 hours ago, purpleally said:

Does that mean we would be forced to eat with strangers at a table bigger than two?  Not our thing

Seriously?  Why are you taking a cruise vacation?  It's really a lot about community...Try to branch out and meet some new people you may actually find that it's fun and opens you up to a totally different cruise experience.

[Twitchly]

4 hours ago, purpleally said:

Does that mean we would be forced to eat with strangers at a table bigger than two?  Not our thing

I’m not sure how you took this from what I posted. I was surprised Viking couldn’t find even a table for two for the OP at either restaurant, at any time, on any day of their cruise. They need to do better, and I hope they accommodate the OP.

 

But you do raise an interesting possible loophole. Viking guarantees reservations at each specialty restaurant, but I don’t think they guarantee that you won’t be seated with others. That said, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of someone being forced to sit with others if they didn’t want to.

[Redtravel]

Be patient.  Things will change.  There will be people who cancel for various reasons.  With Viking not testing daily,  you can expect Covid on the ship.  Those guests will cancel dinner reservations.  When you get on the ship, see the maitr’d.  They always keep reservations open for guests who don’t use computers.  

[photopro2]

21 hours ago, DGHOC said:

I've had to call the London office about a number of issues and I've always found them really reliable, really switched on.

Thanks for your kind words and I do agree with you.

 

My beef is not with those on the front-line who I'm sure do their best within the restrictions imposed on them. Indeed, I have to confess that they have made a special arrangement to resolve the issue for us.

 

Nonetheless, my motivation in starting this thread remains, which is to highlight the actions of more senior management who have allowed a situation to develop where customers in DV cabins (and apparently other categories too) have not, as a whole, been appropriately given access to "guaranteed" advance restaurant bookings.

[photopro2]

17 hours ago, Queenie1603 said:

We are in a Penthouse Deluxe and were only able to make two reservations for  a two week cruise.

That is really interesting and throws a new light on things. Could I ask which ship you are on? I am beginning to wonder if this issue is concentrated on the Viking Sky?

[photopro2]

6 hours ago, Twitchly said:

But you do raise an interesting possible loophole. Viking guarantees reservations at each specialty restaurant, but I don’t think they guarantee that you won’t be seated with others.

I don't think that is a loophole that they can rely on. The online booking process did not open at all. As a result we were not able to make an advanced reservation for a table of any size (with others or on our own) in any restaurant at any point on the cruise!

[Let Me Travel!]

This is my situation too. I am a GTY on Viking Venus with a cruise beginning 8/12…we were not given the opportunity to make dinner reservations at all.  Honestly, I’m not worried..I believe we will be given the opportunity to make reservations once we get on-board.  What has surprised me is the way the excursions have filled up to the point that it appears that even the included tours have “sold out” indicators.  Does this mean they do not have enough tour operators for a full ship of passengers? Are they prepared for full ships? 

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, Let Me Travel! said:

This is my situation too. I am a GTY on Viking Venus with a cruise beginning 8/12…we were not given the opportunity to make dinner reservations at all.  Honestly, I’m not worried..I believe we will be given the opportunity to make reservations once we get on-board.  What has surprised me is the way the excursions have filled up to the point that it appears that even the included tours have “sold out” indicators.  Does this mean they do not have enough tour operators for a full ship of passengers? Are they prepared for full ships? 

 

You raise a very interesting point, with respect to the "Included" shore-ex. Pre-COVID, Viking simply added additional tours to meet the demand.

 

However, in the current situation, do they have sufficient vendor resources available, in any given port, if all pax booked the "Included" shore-ex. I'll be watching this one, with interest, over the next few months.

[xeena]

We are in a DV cabin on the Venus in September.  I was eligible for excursion booking on July 25th at 12 pm Pacific time.  I started looking at 10 am, but it was not until  3:01 pm eastern when it opened. I was able to get what we wanted though.  I called Viking to see about dining reservations....but I can't do that until Aug 1. Last time on board we never were able to get reservations at Manfredis.  Did not even know they "guananteed" DVs "priority" reservations.  Maybe this time we will get lucky?

[Mrs Miggins]

Just spoke with Viking UK.  We are 59 days out from our Sky cruise and received an email inviting us to go online and book our dining reservations yesterday.   My Viking Journey just says "not available at this time".   I was told that there is no current availability for tables of 2 only for tables for 4 and 6.  They are working on opening these up online so that we could share a table (which we are happy to do).  Only advice was keep trying, and if that is unsuccessful then we are guaranteed a space in both restaurants once we get onboard.

[Queenie1603]

in response to Photopro2 we will be on the Viking Sky. Sailing from Rome on the 6th August.  

I initially thought it was a computer glitch. I was able to book all our excursions with no problem and even managed to book the 1st night in the Dining Room  very early on. 

I appreeciate covid will have had an impact on all the dining areas but not sure how this is panning out now as in the UK Resturant  appear back to normal re spacing etc!

 

[Queenie1603]

10 minutes ago, Mrs Miggins said:

Just spoke with Viking UK.  We are 59 days out from our Sky cruise and received an email inviting us to go online and book our dining reservations yesterday.   My Viking Journey just says "not available at this time".   I was told that there is no current availability for tables of 2 only for tables for 4 and 6.  They are working on opening these up online so that we could share a table (which we are happy to do).  Only advice was keep trying, and if that is unsuccessful then we are guaranteed a space in both restaurants once we get onboard.

There is definitely a problem with their pre cruise dining bookings. 

[Nidec]

I spoke to Viking on Monday, our cruise is in 3 weeks.

They release some 2 table settings when they email guests that dining is open. They will then release more approx 2 weeks before sailing, and more the following week. They also told me that we can always reserve a 2 table setting when we board. I have no issues with this, have used them before and they were good to their word.

I dont understand why a group of 4 people cant reserve tables in advance, I would have thought that option would always be open.

Likewise with excursions, they release more availability as sailing day approaches (I know this and actually changed 2 of my bookings) and will do their best to switch anyone who arrives on board with excursions booked that they would prefer different times on.

[Let Me Travel!]

I’m not too worried…we are traveling with another couple so we will want a table for at least 4…if more that’s even better…we LOVE meeting new people…it is amazing how interesting new people are…I think we will will accommodated…we are really not too demanding on our “special needs”…we love the conversations!

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, Let Me Travel! said:

I’m not too worried…we are traveling with another couple so we will want a table for at least 4…if more that’s even better…we LOVE meeting new people…it is amazing how interesting new people are…I think we will will accommodated…we are really not too demanding on our “special needs”…we love the conversations!

 

Not to mention showing off the nails!

[Let Me Travel!]

Ha ha ha…that’s right!

[photopro2]

On 7/27/2022 at 9:35 AM, Queenie1603 said:

in response to Photopro2 we will be on the Viking Sky. Sailing from Rome on the 6th August.  

If you could post again at some point with your experience of getting reservations on board, I'm sure that would be of great interest to those reading this thread.

23 hours ago, Nidec said:

They release some 2 table settings when they email guests that dining is open. They will then release more approx 2 weeks before sailing, and more the following week. They also told me that we can always reserve a 2 table setting when we board.

Thanks for the additional information.

I am mystified as to what problem they could be having which would be solved by releasing the tables gradually. 

 

My concern is that there is obviously some issue with reservations, otherwise bookings would have been available as normal at 60 days out. How can we be sure that things will magically change when we are onboard? I know that getting additional reservations is not normally a problem once we are on the ships, but then making bookings 60 days out is not normally too much of a problem either!

 

If Viking are certain that we will have no difficulty in making bookings on-board why block us from using our allocated quota of advance reservations online, in the usual way? 

 

Like @Queenie my first thought was that this was a simple systems glitch. However the written reply to me from Viking saying that "regrettably by the time the dining was open for you, all of the tables of two have already been selected.” suggests this may be something more serious and could carry over into the on-board experience.

 

It seems that the problems are centred on the Viking Sky. Hopefully we can get some input from @Queenie and others on the Sky now, or in the near future, as to the ease (or otherwise) of getting reservations in the specialist restaurants. I will certainly be happy to report back once I have some firsthand experience.

Edited July 28, 2022 by photopro2
missing word

[Queenie1603]

I’m still waiting to hear back from customer services regarding my requests. I will post here when I get a response or what the situation is when we board. I really don’t want to spend my time having to sort this when we board with all the others who are having the same problem when I could be relaxing with a cocktail and enjoying my holiday.  😬
 

[villager13]

On 7/24/2022 at 3:14 PM, Twitchly said:

Wow. So every single table for two was booked in both restaurants at every time period for the entire cruise? Nothing at 8 pm, even? Are they short-staffed or what? 
 

If they can’t accommodate you once you’re on board, they need to offer you a very nice consolation prize. And they need to change their marketing.

I got on as soon as the reservations opened for our DV category room. Only times left for reservations any night at the two speciality restaurants was 9:00pm! Way to late for us to eat. 

[May B]

On 7/25/2022 at 8:23 PM, shadowlover said:

Seriously?  Why are you taking a cruise vacation?  It's really a lot about community...Try to branch out and meet some new people you may actually find that it's fun and opens you up to a totally different cruise experience.

That is NOT why I take a cruise vacation. I take a cruise vacation to enjoy the company of Mr B, and sometimes friends and family who join us. Every time we take a cruise alone together, the two of us, we come home and say, the best way to cruise is just the two of us. We’ve decided to try to alternate: one cruise alone together, the next cruise with friends or family.

 

 

[May B]

This whole topic about restaurant reservations boggles my mind. If I take a ten night  cruise in a deluxe veranda stateroom, might I have to eat EIGHT dinners at the World Cafe?