Dining Room Seating With Your Group

[senunit]

Hi All! So our 4th cruise is 42 days away and we have a major question still unanswered. My girlfriend and I are traveling with her parents. For this cruise we booked through an agency, Vacations to go, and as thus we have been unable to get MANY answers through C&A Customer Support as we normally would if we booked on our own. Anyway, currently both parties are listed under the same group number and our TA has said that we will be seated together in the dining seating in a table for four as requested. However, RCI says that they cannot verify this info and only the TA can call in and verify. RCI also said the agencies are required to send in seating charts for their groups, but the TA said that it isnt necessary and that he solely cross referenced us and we are set.

 

In any case, long story short, has anyone ever been in a similar situation with an agency, where they cannot make requests to their own reservation, and had your dining needs been met? We are both listed for the 8:30 dining time, so that is reassuring, but since both companies are on different pages, I am starting to worry that we may be placed in different tables, although I feel like thats also unlikely.

 

Sorry for the rant, and any help would be greatly appreciated!:D

[Sue L]

If you are cross reference you are all set. If not the same table when you check in and see your table assignment on your card then go and talk to the Maitre'D. He will be available the first afternoon.

[SingingPixie]

I haven't been in that situation, but you've probably done all you can from home. I'd just check on your dining assignment as soon as you get on board- that way they have time to fix it by dinnertime in the unlikely event that a mistake was made.

[senunit]

Wow thank you for such a FAST response!!! So worst case scenario, the maitre'd would be able to fix that, right?

[Jiffymom]

Should not be a problem. I believe the sea pass card will have your table assignment on it. Usually the maitre ' d is available around 1 pm . We always go and check for our table location. They have been happy to make changes for us if necessary.

[senunit]

Thanks so much guys! I spent at least an hour today on the phone with both companies with very little reassurance. Fortunately, I received much more from this forum in the last 10 minutes. Really appreciated!:D

[boulders]

Since you have booked with an agency, the cruiseline isn't able to discuss details of the booking with you. They can neither confirm nor deny anything. :cool: The agency must call for you.

[Desert Cruizers]

Our last Cruise, another couple on our Roll call wanted to link their Reservatiosn with ours, all I needed to do was give her our Reserv # or she give theirs and give it to our Travel Agent or Cruise lines. During boarding, we checked our Sea pass Card to verify we had the same Table Assignment. She went thru her TA and there was no problem. Another couple did have a problem because of some Online Agency and not the Crusie lines or a TA.

[senunit]

Our last Cruise, another couple on our Roll call wanted to link their Reservatiosn with ours, all I needed to do was give her our Reserv # or she give theirs and give it to our Travel Agent or Cruise lines. During boarding, we checked our Sea pass Card to verify we had the same Table Assignment. She went thru her TA and there was no problem. Another couple did have a problem because of some Online Agency and not the Crusie lines or a TA.

 

 

Thats exactly what we are doing. Our TA through an online agency had booked both of our reserv.'s and was able to cross-reference us. He said all is done and we are counting on that. However, currently all that is available to us from RCI as confirmation are our e-docs which solely write that our group numbers are the same and our dining time is the same. There is no mention as to if we are seated together and customer service wouldnt verify this. So as thus, we are taking our TA's word and based on some of these replies, it seems that all has been done as planned by the TA. We also are counting on the maitre'd in worst case scenario but we dont think it'll come to that. We also verify our seating arrangements in the dining roome everytime we board and the maitre'd has been able to fix our seating once before when we were not happy. It shouldn't be a problem this time either, but since this is our first time booking through a TA and not by ourselves, we are thrown off by the lack of confirmation that RCI can give us personally and relying on a TA is a bit unorthodox. Thank you again for the help!

[Amy1118]

senunit, do you know how to get into your reservation online on the RCI web site? On the main summary page for your reservation, down near the bottom on the left it shows your dining room seating and it has a place for linked reservations. If they are linked, the other reservation #s should show there. You should be able to get into that part of the reservation even if you booked through a TA.

 

If you need help getting into your reservation post here again and I'll try and give you instructions.

[atlrefs]

Hi All! So our 4th cruise is 42 days away and we have a major question still unanswered. My girlfriend and I are traveling with her parents. For this cruise we booked through an agency, Vacations to go, and as thus we have been unable to get MANY answers through C&A Customer Support as we normally would if we booked on our own. Anyway, currently both parties are listed under the same group number and our TA has said that we will be seated together in the dining seating in a table for four as requested. However, RCI says that they cannot verify this info and only the TA can call in and verify. RCI also said the agencies are required to send in seating charts for their groups, but the TA said that it isnt necessary and that he solely cross referenced us and we are set.

 

In any case, long story short, has anyone ever been in a similar situation with an agency, where they cannot make requests to their own reservation, and had your dining needs been met? We are both listed for the 8:30 dining time, so that is reassuring, but since both companies are on different pages, I am starting to worry that we may be placed in different tables, although I feel like thats also unlikely.

 

Sorry for the rant, and any help would be greatly appreciated!:D

Please dont worry, our last family cruise on the EOS was booked through an agency, 8 total in our party all booked seperatly and we were all at one big table at our desired time! Just booked our second family cruise for may with an agency!

It is true if you book with an agency you can only speak with your agent.:(

Agree with other posters, check your table res. as soon as you get on shi

p!!

Have a great cruise!!:D

[senunit]

senunit, do you know how to get into your reservation online on the RCI web site? On the main summary page for your reservation, down near the bottom on the left it shows your dining room seating and it has a place for linked reservations. If they are linked, the other reservation #s should show there. You should be able to get into that part of the reservation even if you booked through a TA.

 

If you need help getting into your reservation post here again and I'll try and give you instructions.

 

I have been on RCI's site several times, logged in, and was unable to find anything anywhere except for our dining time which is 8:30PM. Please advise if you can. Thank you!

[senunit]

I am currently on the main summary page and I actually have found the specific section you point to. Again there it only says our time and as for the linked part, it says "None." Our TA informed us that we are in fact cross-referenced and the fact that we are seated for the same dining is an indicator of the fact that all is well.

 

On our e-docs it says "When you check-in, please check you SeaPass card, it will indicate the final outcome of your seating request." This leads me to believe that even if anything is found on the summary page, it may not be finalized until we board. Im starting to feel helpless about this and to just go with the flow and hope that all will be well on board and the maitre'd will remedy any problems if they do arise.

 

I guess this is the downside with going for the TA option instead of booking yourself. We were intrigued by the $165 discount per cabin for the two of us. Unfortunately that also means that a complete stranger who you neither have a history with nor who you have met determines if all of your requests are being made. HAHA. Theres a catch to everything!!!

[John Henry on CC]

I have been on RCI's site several times, logged in, and was unable to find anything anywhere except for our dining time which is 8:30PM. Please advise if you can. Thank you!

You have gone to your My Cruises page? And you have looked at the bottom left corner of the reservation for this cruise? And it has ONLY your own dining time, and does not look like this:

 

Room Arrangement: Apart/Both Apart

Dinner Seating: Traditional Dining 08:30 PM Seating, No Waitlists

Cruise Celebrations: None

Linked Reservations:

58395839, 82645857

 

If you have nothing where this example says "linked reservations" and I have highlighted numbers in red, you're not linked.

 

Do you have YOUR reservation number? And the parents' reservation number? They need to be linked. Then they will show up and your My Cruises page will look like this.

[Amy1118]

I have been on RCI's site several times, logged in, and was unable to find anything anywhere except for our dining time which is 8:30PM. Please advise if you can. Thank you!

Under "Preferences and Requests" on the main reservation page, it should look like this:

Room Arrangement: Apart/Both Apart

Dinner Seating: Traditional Dining 08:30 PM Seating, No Waitlists

Cruise Celebrations: None

Linked Reservations: None This is where you should see the other reservation numbers. This is from a res. of mine that isn't yet linked. If you don't see them there, either continue pestering your TA or just deal with it if it's not right when you board. Your table numbers should be the same on your Seapass.

 

Good luck!

[Desert Cruizers]

Senuit, The information is usually shown in your Reservation Summary. When we did our Hawaii Cruise, it listed a linked Reserv in the Summary. I still verified with the other couple once we were in the line to board and went back to check with them. Amy is a big help and has a few more cruises then we do so she can help you I am sure if you need it. As others stated if your under the same group # then your dining is most likely linked.

[Desert Cruizers]

John henry that reminds me I need to check with ours, yet if is really way to early, as we are suppose to have a couple linked for our next cruise and its showing none.

Hey Amy nice to see you, hope you've had a good weekend.

[senunit]

Thank you to everyone that has helped me thus far. Unfortunately it says "None" where you guys have indicated. My assumption is that maybe the system is not yet updated since we are 42 days away from sailing. Either that or the TA may have not done it, in which case I feel like the best solution already at this point (after pestering him numerous times) will be to just hope that the group numbers and dining time being the same are indicative of us being cross-referenced and if the not the maitre'd will assist as many of you have noted.

 

In any case, once again thank you, I really appreciate the help!:)

[senunit]

This is what it says exactly for anyone who may have been wondering:

Room Arrangement: Unknown

Dinner Seating: Traditional Dining 08:30 PM Seating, No Waitlists

Cruise Celebrations: None

Linked Reservations: None

 

Now, I dont know why it says Unknown by room arrangement, is that something I should be concerned about LOL?

[John Henry on CC]

This is what it says exactly for anyone who may have been wondering:

Room Arrangement: Unknown

Dinner Seating: Traditional Dining 08:30 PM Seating, No Waitlists

Cruise Celebrations: None

Linked Reservations: None

 

Now, I dont know why it says Unknown by room arrangement, is that something I should be concerned about LOL?

Nah. There is a good chance that the beds will be together when you arrive. If that's what you want, you win! If you want them apart, as twins, just tell your cabin steward and s/he will fix them while you are at dinner.

[senunit]

In that case I win! HAHA. Thanks again!

[Desert Cruizers]

Senuit, in regards to our choice, I specified Queen, so our beds will be together, I would imagine if no choice was made, they put them together. If they are not, ask your room steward you would like the beds together and I am sure he/she will do so for you.

[geojobes]

We cruised in October with friends from MD & VA. We all booked with different TA's & some with the cruise line. We had a total of 5 linked reservations (12 people!) & we all ended up at a table for 12. Now, one day the links would be there, then the next they weren't. They would come & go at will. It all worked out in the end. Did the other couple book with the same TA? If they didn't, I would have them try to link the reservations from their end.

[senunit]

Senuit, in regards to our choice, I specified Queen, so our beds will be together, I would imagine if no choice was made, they put them together. If they are not, ask your room steward you would like the beds together and I am sure he/she will do so for you.

 

I would think that they'd have the beds together as well. If I recall correctly I think I may have asked the steward to adjust it before with no problem as well so I am not worried. I believe that all of these things can be taken care of regardless of the outcome, I just like to always be on top of everything with everything sorted out. In addition, I booked the cruise for my girlfriend and I and then for her parents soon after and have done everything from booking to planning excursions and so on. That being said, I just dont want any unexpected surprises! :D

[senunit]

We cruised in October with friends from MD & VA. We all booked with different TA's & some with the cruise line. We had a total of 5 linked reservations (12 people!) & we all ended up at a table for 12. Now, one day the links would be there, then the next they weren't. They would come & go at will. It all worked out in the end. Did the other couple book with the same TA? If they didn't, I would have them try to link the reservations from their end.

 

Well I actually booked it for them through an online agency, through the same TA. Im hoping all will be done correctly, especially knowing that groups of 12 have been accommodated with ease. Keeping my fingers crossed that we wont have to waste too much time dealing with this when we board, if any at all.