How to book La Reserve on Vista?

[MV21]

On our Marina cruise last year we were able to book La Reserve online months before our cruise. In a couple of months we are on the Vista and I understand that the La Reserve experience is hosted in a variety of venues on the ship. However, there is no trace of any mention of La Reserve in my online booking management section of the website. 

Does one have to wait until boarding before being able to book this?

TIA

 

[MrsSheba]

Yes.  Go see the dining reservations person once  you board.   She will put your name on a list and once enough people have signed up, you will get a confirmation.  

[oskidunker]

What is it and what is the cost?

[ORV]

2 hours ago, MrsSheba said:

Yes.  Go see the dining reservations person once  you board.   She will put your name on a list and once enough people have signed up, you will get a confirmation.  

That sounds like a recipe for a kill off of that program. 

 

Has anyone that has been on Vista notice what they refer to it as. Do they still you La Reserve or do they call it a Wine Pairing Dinner or something along those lines

[mauibabes]

While there is no La Reserve on Vista, the Wine Pairing La Reserve gourmet dinners are served in Privee and is limited to 8-10 as I recall. My last recollection is the price was about $195 and the Dom Perignon paired dinners about $375.
There are private wine pairing dinners  offered in Polo, Toscana and Red Ginger but did not see a semi-private room in Ember. these dinners were in the $100 range I believe. 
We did a Culinary Class and there is a room off the work area where we were told they offer or may be offering wine pairing or tastings but don’t hold me to this. 
You better confirm with your TA or directly with Oceania Special Services. I am sure there are CC posters currently on Vista who may read your post and provide an answer with more specific details. 
Mauibabes

[pinotlover]

When we were on the Vista, a minimum of a group of eight could book one of the La Reserve menus in the Privee on any given night that the Privee wasn’t reserved for a ship function. The Vista reserved the right to add up to 2 more to the Group.

 

If you didn’t have a minimum of eight, you could put your name on a waitlist to see if Oceania could put together a group for that menu. In doing this, one had no clue which night the dinner would be, or if it would happen. So if you had other plans for the evening Oceania finally notified you of, availability, you had to choose.

 

The prices of the meals quoted above have now increased fairly significantly. Likewise, since they now can only be booked aboard ship, the price may be further increased by any applicable VAT tax. Adding 20% VAT to an over $400 meal pushes you to a $500 each affair. What I can’t remember is if the quoted prices included gratuity, which would add to the price.

 

As I have stated before, a combination of this overly expensive meal, a cumbersome reservation system, and not refreshing menus and wines leads me to believe Oceania is killing off the concept. 
 

On the Vista, Privee can only be reserved via a La Reserve dinner. On our upcoming April Riveria cruise, there are no La Reserve dinners being offered.

[davencl]

45 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

 

 On our upcoming April Riveria cruise, there are no La Reserve dinners being offered.

On our Marina cruise starting next Sunday no La Reserve dinners offered.  Don't know if there will be any available on board.

[ORV]

Historically gratuities have been an additional charge for the La Reserve meal. 

[AMHuntFerry]

@oskidunker Here are the menus with the costs on the Preisman blog (from I think November): https://www.thepreismans.com/vista23_menus.htm#privee

 

[oskidunker]

Thanks. Not a fan of truffles. It seems they are in everything. But the rest looks good. At least no kale.

[AMHuntFerry]

5 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

Thanks. Not a fan of truffles. It seems they are in everything. But the rest looks good. At least no kale.

Truffles = chocolate to me. Loooovvvveee a good truffle.

[oskidunker]

8 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

Truffles = chocolate to me. Loooovvvveee a good truffle.

Chocolate fine. 

[MrsSheba]

6 hours ago, pinotlover said:

When we were on the Vista, a minimum of a group of eight could book one of the La Reserve menus in the Privee on any given night that the Privee wasn’t reserved for a ship function. The Vista reserved the right to add up to 2 more to the Group.

 

If you didn’t have a minimum of eight, you could put your name on a waitlist to see if Oceania could put together a group for that menu. In doing this, one had no clue which night the dinner would be, or if it would happen. So if you had other plans for the evening Oceania finally notified you of, availability, you had to choose.

 

The prices of the meals quoted above have now increased fairly significantly. Likewise, since they now can only be booked aboard ship, the price may be further increased by any applicable VAT tax. Adding 20% VAT to an over $400 meal pushes you to a $500 each affair. What I can’t remember is if the quoted prices included gratuity, which would add to the price.

 

As I have stated before, a combination of this overly expensive meal, a cumbersome reservation system, and not refreshing menus and wines leads me to believe Oceania is killing off the concept. 
 

On the Vista, Privee can only be reserved via a La Reserve dinner. On our upcoming April Riveria cruise, there are no La Reserve dinners being offered.

Gratuities are included.  On our cruise, Privee with the Odyssey menu was popular enough to be held on three different nights.  At the one we attended, there were four people who were traveling together and three separate couples.  Everybody had a great time.  Since we had booked the cruise when the O Life onboard credit option was still available, we used some of our onboard credit towards the dinner.  Sadly, this will no longer be possible with Simply More.

[ORV]

3 minutes ago, MrsSheba said:

Gratuities are included.  On our cruise, Privee with the Odyssey menu was popular enough to be held on three different nights.  At the one we attended, there were four people who were traveling together and three separate couples.  Everybody had a great time.  Since we had booked the cruise when the O Life onboard credit option was still available, we used some of our onboard credit towards the dinner.  Sadly, this will no longer be possible with Simply More.

Interesting, as the link to the menu posted above from Mike Preisman's site clearly shows the cost plus 20% gratuity added. 

[chloemonkey]

On 1/14/2024 at 9:14 AM, mauibabes said:

While there is no La Reserve on Vista, the Wine Pairing La Reserve gourmet dinners are served in Privee and is limited to 8-10 as I recall. My last recollection is the price was about $195 and the Dom Perignon paired dinners about $375.
There are private wine pairing dinners  offered in Polo, Toscana and Red Ginger but did not see a semi-private room in Ember. these dinners were in the $100 range I believe. 
We did a Culinary Class and there is a room off the work area where we were told they offer or may be offering wine pairing or tastings but don’t hold me to this. 
You better confirm with your TA or directly with Oceania Special Services. I am sure there are CC posters currently on Vista who may read your post and provide an answer with more specific details. 
Mauibabes

So.....I am confused.....NO "La Reserve" on VIsta....but there ARE two of the original three La Reserve options being offered as "Privee?"....and if so, where online do you book these?  As I have been told by two Oceania agents that they "La Reserve is available to book 75 days out for Vista Suite passengers..."  SO CONFUSING! lol....

 

First world problems for certain....but I just wish that I had a better idea of what exactly is happening on this front....as I HATE to wait until onboard and prefer to have it all handled pre cruise....

[pinotlover]

43 minutes ago, chloemonkey said:

So.....I am confused.....NO "La Reserve" on VIsta....but there ARE two of the original three La Reserve options being offered as "Privee?"....and if so, where online do you book these?  As I have been told by two Oceania agents that they "La Reserve is available to book 75 days out for Vista Suite passengers..."  SO CONFUSING! lol....

 

First world problems for certain....but I just wish that I had a better idea of what exactly is happening on this front....as I HATE to wait until onboard and prefer to have it all handled pre cruise....

We were told that it can only be booked once aboard. That was last June. Does anything said last June matter today?

 

Logically, if you had ten (10) passengers, all wanting the same La Reserve menu in the Privee, your TA should be able to schedule it. Not sure logic applies.

 

I don’t believe anyone here can answer your question. My recommendation would be to assemble a minimum of eight (8) passengers , preferably 10, and have your Travel Agent approach Oceania to see what they can do. All else is speculation.

[chloemonkey]

29 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

We were told that it can only be booked once aboard. That was last June. Does anything said last June matter today?

 

Logically, if you had ten (10) passengers, all wanting the same La Reserve menu in the Privee, your TA should be able to schedule it. Not sure logic applies.

 

I don’t believe anyone here can answer your question. My recommendation would be to assemble a minimum of eight (8) passengers , preferably 10, and have your Travel Agent approach Oceania to see what they can do. All else is speculation.

My TA is an Oceania agent who as recently as this afternoon told me that "La Reserve" should absolutely be available to book online as we are within 75 days out.....so go figure.  And I am not sure how I would assemble 8 passengers who want the same menu...to book Privee?  I am just so over the people handling the reservations at Oceania not knowing what is going on.....as I was also told that the website was not offering shore excursion options for the private island Great Stirrup Key/Cay?  as all shore excursions are handled by "third party vendors" and apparently there were none available for this port.......Yet I KNOW that this is one of NCL's private islands....and why would they not offer the Villas. cabanas etc?  Just disappointing.....

 

Thanks for your input though....and maybe it will be better to wait until onboard.....Appreciate all of your help...

[shepherd really]

20 hours ago, chloemonkey said:

My TA is an Oceania agent who as recently as this afternoon told me that "La Reserve" should absolutely be available to book online as we are within 75 days out.....so go figure. 

I checked with my online booking, embarkation is in 29 days.  Your Oceania Agent is wrong.  Period, end of story.

[pinotlover]

People continue to quote 1-800-dial a Clerk at Oceania help desk. 😂

 

Sad, but often ill trained.

[Snaefell3]

3 hours ago, pinotlover said:

People continue to quote 1-800-dial a Clerk at Oceania help desk. 😂

 

Sad, but often ill trained.

A snark from back when we sailed Princess Cruises:

"Call three times and average the answers, especially the yes/no ones"

[mjmme]

We got off an Oceania ship yesterday and were told that Vista was turning the La Reserve area into an AquaMar Healthy Eating spot.  You may want to call the cruise line.

[basor]

11 minutes ago, mjmme said:

We got off an Oceania ship yesterday and were told that Vista was turning the La Reserve area into an AquaMar Healthy Eating spot.  You may want to call the cruise line.

I believe that is occurring during the dry dock of Marina.  Vista already has Aquamar in place of La Reserve

[mjmme]

We loved La Reserve and have no experience with Aquamar. 
any experience with that restaurant?

[basor]

4 minutes ago, mjmme said:

We loved La Reserve and have no experience with Aquamar. 
any experience with that restaurant?

We were on Vista for 32 days this Fall and LOVED Aquamar.  It is an actual restaurant with tables, menus and waiters taking your orders.  They are open for breakfast and lunch every day.  They serve more healthy options with lots of choices.  Since everything is made from scratch you can mix/match, add/subtract from any order.  You can order from Aquamar and they will bring it to you in Terrace, Waves and  even by the pool.  La Reserve is only available for those who have signed up, for an extra charge, a special wine pairing dinner a few nights during a cruise or a few times for a wine and snacks early evening (still cost if you do not have a beverage package).  They were offering the wine pairing dinners in Privee on Vista so that experience is still available.  Lots of people we talked to wish they would open Aquamar for dinner too!  It, overall, is a much better use of the space.

[mjmme]

Glad to hear you loved it, frankly the option of healthier meals scared us into thinking it wouldn't taste as good as something we were used to on Oceania.