Dis / Dreams Viking Sea Cruise around Italy 3/24 - 3/31/2018

[corky441]

SO, I jumped online at 3:00am this morning since my window for Specialty Dining opened today.

Not a lot of availability was left

I did get Chef’s Table on Day 4 @8:30
and Manfredi’s on Day 5 @8:30

Hope to get another reservation for dinner at Manfredi’s when we board.

How’d everyone else do ??

 

[Cackyschmackers]

SO, I jumped online at 3:00am this morning since my window for Specialty Dining opened today.

Not a lot of availability was left

I did get Chef’s Table on Day 4 @8:30
and Manfredi’s on Day 5 @8:30

Hope to get another reservation for dinner at Manfredi’s when we board.

How’d everyone else do ??

I got on at 6am EST and got Manfredi’s Day 5 and Chef’s Table Day 2, both 6pm as we wanted. Kind of wanted Manfredi’s earlier in the cruise. Manfredi’s only gave me three available times; Chef's Table a lot more. But I will try for another Manfredi’s resi when we board.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

SO, I jumped online at 3:00am this morning since my window for Specialty Dining opened today.

Not a lot of availability was left

I did get Chef’s Table on Day 4 @8:30
and Manfredi’s on Day 5 @8:30

Hope to get another reservation for dinner at Manfredi’s when we board.

How’d everyone else do ??

ugh, I forgot about this - the only days available for Chef's table were the first night (Rome) or last night (Naples) - Last night is Good Friday and we are supposed to Fast so figured that is out. So booked first night at 9pm, all they had

There was nothing available for Manfredi's so pretty bummed about that since we are supposed to get one guaranteed seating at each (it said we can try to get space at the shared table once onboard.)

 

[stenogoddess]

SO, I jumped online at 3:00am this morning since my window for Specialty Dining opened today.

Not a lot of availability was left

I did get Chef’s Table on Day 4 @8:30
and Manfredi’s on Day 5 @8:30

Hope to get another reservation for dinner at Manfredi’s when we board.

How’d everyone else do ??

I couldn’t sleep AT ALL last night. I hate nights like that. But since I was up I was able to do our shore excursions. There was only one that was sold out that I was really sad about. It’s a good excuse to go again I suppose. Just going to stay greatful that we get to go! I wonder if they do a waiting list once on board just in case.

 

[khertz]

ugh, I forgot about this - the only days available for Chef's table were the first night (Rome) or last night (Naples) - Last night is Good Friday and we are supposed to Fast so figured that is out. So booked first night at 9pm, all they had

There was nothing available for Manfredi's so pretty bummed about that since we are supposed to get one guaranteed seating at each (it said we can try to get space at the shared table once onboard.)

I forgot about the guaranteed thing! I don’t understand their definition of guaranteed in this case

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I forgot about the guaranteed thing! I don’t understand their definition of guaranteed in this case

yeah, that is why I want to call. I was hoping it wouldn't be so tough to get a reservation (I recall some reviews I read of other cruises on these ships saying it was never an issue to get into the specialty restaurants) - hopefully it works itself out as I was hoping to maybe get into the Chef's table more than once

 

[jmkinnc]

SO, I jumped online at 3:00am this morning since my window for Specialty Dining opened today.

Not a lot of availability was left

I did get Chef’s Table on Day 4 @8:30
and Manfredi’s on Day 5 @8:30

Hope to get another reservation for dinner at Manfredi’s when we board.

How’d everyone else do ??

Manfredi’s was not available when I logged in this morning. We hope to get a reservation when we are on board.

 

[jmkinnc]

ugh, I forgot about this - the only days available for Chef's table were the first night (Rome) or last night (Naples) - Last night is Good Friday and we are supposed to Fast so figured that is out. So booked first night at 9pm, all they had

There was nothing available for Manfredi's so pretty bummed about that since we are supposed to get one guaranteed seating at each (it said we can try to get space at the shared table once onboard.)

Yes we were kind of bummed as well. Hoping that it works out in the end. At any rate, I'm pretty sure that we won't starve.

 

[corky441]

I got on at 6am EST and got Manfredi’s Day 5 and Chef’s Table Day 2, both 6pm as we wanted. Kind of wanted Manfredi’s earlier in the cruise. Manfredi’s only gave me three available times; Chef's Table a lot more. But I will try for another Manfredi’s resi when we board.

My only problem was that I was looking for Golden Dining time of 7:30

We have alway had late Dining on previous cruises, so our 8:30 time isn’t too far fetched for us.

I’m sure as the cruise plays out, there will be the restaurant reservation shuffle as people decide to change plans.

 

[corky441]

I couldn’t sleep AT ALL last night. I hate nights like that. But since I was up I was able to do our shore excursions. There was only one that was sold out that I was really sad about. It’s a good excuse to go again I suppose. Just going to stay greatful that we get to go! I wonder if they do a waiting list once on board just in case.

I would send off a quick email to them and ask if there is a waitlist now.

They’re very responsive

 

[DDuck4Life]

Got our dining booked but not very well. Only took talking to 5 different agents and finally being told I shouldn't have even called the first time and that only Kevin should be talking to them since he was the booking agent and I wasn't even technically their customer. Kevin was their customer and I was Kevin's customer. Not the best experience I've had when trying to book dining.

End result:
Chef's Table - Day 3, 6:30pm Shared 4 top
Manfredi's - Day 5. 7:30pm Shared 4 top

Both shared tables with other random parties of 2. I guess we will be making some new friends.

From what I gathered when calling there were several tables of 4 and 6 available for different times but you just couldn't select that when booking online to agree to shared seating. Tried to book a table of 4 For Manfredi's with @TheMaxRebo but no one was able to do that correctly over the phone for us. All they kept suggesting was when we got on the ship check and see what was still available then.

If your going to call on your own just know all 2 tops are booked so it would be a shared 4 or 6 top you would be booked under. And they might suggest you should have had Kevin call them.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Before y’all write to me, I have something to tell you...

I spent 4 hours on the phone last week trying to get to the bottom of this.

According to Viking, you are only able to reserve dining for the number of guests in your stateroom.

I have a couple that tried to include the wife’s mother and I travel with three people besides John and I was able to get nowhere.

I have an explorer suite and booked everyone in our group and couldn’t get any of this fixed.

I was told that Guest Service may be able to assist once on board.

Other than that....Im sorry to say that there is nothing I can do.

I realize that we have all been trained/abused by DCL and getting up at 3am, but Viking doesn’t usually work this way.

I know this isn’t the best answer, but I don’t have another

 

[christannj]

I am thinking positively that once we are on board we will be able to join up with others to eat since as you have noticed they will only let you book dinner reservations for the 2 people in your room. As we have said before, they are not going to know what to do when 103 people are trying to coordinate meals. We should really freak them out and request to all eat together....at one table!

Chris

 

[kpiper]

For those who were also on the Alpine Magic ABD trip in 2016, Miki who was one of the Adventure guides on that trip lives in Rome. I've contacted her and she would live to meet some of us for dinner the night of March 22nd. Please let me know if you are interested so we can plan a convenient time/place.

Bruce and I might be up for this! I think our food tour is on Friday night the 23rd, so we should be free the evening of the 22nd. The bigger question is....how bad will our jet lag be (we arrive that morning)!??

 

[travelinjenn]

I am thinking positively that once we are on board we will be able to join up with others to eat since as you have noticed they will only let you book dinner reservations for the 2 people in your room. As we have said before, they are not going to know what to do when 103 people are trying to coordinate meals. We should really freak them out and request to all eat together....at one table!

Chris

Yes, I'm hoping we can get dinner reservations too once on board since we scored absolutely nothing! So much for that "guaranteed" one seating. My husband Joe even called and got nowhere. It's not like we paid peanuts and are sailing 3rd class in steerage!

 

[kpiper]

I am thinking positively that once we are on board we will be able to join up with others to eat since as you have noticed they will only let you book dinner reservations for the 2 people in your room. As we have said before, they are not going to know what to do when 103 people are trying to coordinate meals. We should really freak them out and request to all eat together....at one table!

Chris

Hey girl! I made our dining reservations a while ago but they don't sync up with yours at all. We will just have to do as you said.....bombard them once on board......man, they really don't know what's comin'.....

 

[met19]

Hey girl! I made our dining reservations a while ago but they don't sync up with yours at all. We will just have to do as you said.....bombard them once on board......man, they really don't know what's comin'.....

@DisneyKevin I would totally join your table! Love traveling with you.

Its going to be weird dining as a table of one. But its their rules.

I was thinking of having a ABD 2016 reunion on board for dinner. @Cousin Orville had a similar idea and heard back that once on board we can "try to get a table"

 

[DDuck4Life]

If the picture on Viking's site is accurate it's no wonder there are no booking available there are only 7 tables in each restaurant.

 

[WebmasterKathy]

Its going to be weird dining as a table of one. But its their rules.

I don’t think anyone will be required to dine alone, or only with those in their cabin. I just seems that the constraints of their PREBOOKING system restrict those advance reservations to the immediate traveling party.

I think Disney has trained everyone that you must aggressively plan in excruciating detail and book wayyyy in advance. Sounds like relaxing and making dining arrangements once on board is the Viking way. Having done two Viking river cruises, I’m pretty confident that they will take good care of us onboard.

Try to switch out of the Disney commando mode and embrace a bit of spontaneity.

 

[met19]

I think Disney has trained everyone that you must aggressively plan in excruciating detail and book wayyyy in advance. Sounds like relaxing and making dining arrangements once on board is the Viking way. Having done two Viking river cruises, I’m pretty confident that they will take good care of us onboard.

Try to switch out of the Disney commando mode and embrace a bit of spontaneity.

good points. no commando planning for disneyland I've done an AMA river cruise with ABD. it was nice and calm.